An Arizona judge on Monday dismissed most of Kari Lake’s lawsuit contesting her election loss last month, The Hill reports.
The failed Republican candidate filed a lawsuit asking a judge to set aside Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs’ victory, citing 10 counts, including alleged misconduct by election officials in Maricopa County.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed eight of the 10 counts, ruling that they were not appropriate for an election suit and even if true would not merit further consideration.
But Thompson allowed a trial to move forward on two other counts: alleged intentional interference by election officials affecting ballot printers in Maricopa County and chain of custody violations.”
Lake claims win:
Lake framed the ruling as a victory.
“Our Election Case is going to trial. Katie Hobbs attempt to have our case thrown out FAILED,” she said on Twitter. “She will have to take the stand & testify. Buckle up, America. This is far from over.”
Lake has repeatedly accused officials in Maricopa of “botching” the election after about half of its polling locations reported printer issues on Election Day.
Hobbs responds:
Hobbs and Maricopa County have argued that Lake is suing over procedures put in place before the election and the suit should have been brought before she lost.
“If there’s anything rotten in Arizona, it is what this contest represents,” an attorney for Hobbs said at the hearing. “For the past several years, our democracy and its basic guiding principles have been under sustained assault from candidates who just cannot or will not accept the fact that they lost. The judiciary has served as a bulwark against these efforts to undo our democratic system from within.”