Deadline passes for Kari Lake to hand over documents in defamation suit over Arizona election loss

The deadline has passed for Arizona Republican Kari Lake and her husband to produce a series of documents in a defamation case related to her failed bid to become state governor in 2022.

The judge in the case set August 26 as final date to do so, according to the AZ Mirror. It was not immediately clear if the now-GOP Senate candidate has provided the evidence.

The suit was filed by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer after Lake falsely accused him of playing a role in election fraud and sabotage that, according to her, prevented her from winning the aforementioned elections.

Lake said in a podcast interview that Richer intentionally manipulated ballot printers to disrupt the election and claimed that 300,000 fraudulent ballots were counted in Maricopa County. However, her attempts to challenge the results in the courts were unsuccessful as well.

As Richer's lawsuit progressed, Lake accepted a default judgment in March, effectively conceding that her statements were false, although she then said her assertions were truthful and criticized the lawsuit as a potential distraction from her Senate campaign. Lake is currently trailing Democratic opponent Ruben Gallego in most polls, the latest study ( conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies among 592 likely voters between August 12 and 15) showing the Democrat ahead by a 5-point difference, 44% to 39%.

The case has been in the discovery phase, during which Richer's legal team has faced obstacles in obtaining relevant documents from Lake and her associates. In response to ongoing noncompliance, Judge Randall Warner has instructed Lake to produce documents in 11 different categories. They are related to her and her husband's finances, media analyses, communications with campaign and nonprofit entities, and efforts to fact-check her statements.

Lake's attorney, Dennis Wilenchik, has contested some of Richer's document requests as excessive and politically motivated. Despite these objections, the court has required Lake to produce the requested documents and submit an affidavit detailing her search efforts.

Additionally, Richer's team had subpoenaed several individuals for information on Lake's statements. While some documents have been received from Save Arizona Fund executive Merissa Hamilton, disputes over the format and cost of these documents have arisen. The court has ordered reimbursement for Hamilton's expenses and mandated the submission of digital copies.

Depositions and further document production are anticipated, with a trial to determine damages expected to take place next year.