Kari Lake Reaches Settlement in Defamation Battle with Maricopa Recorder Stephen Richer

Kari Lake has reached a settlement with Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer following a contentious defamation lawsuit. The agreement comes after Lake accused Richer of facilitating a scheme to steal the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election from her.

Lake, a high-profile Republican and supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been vocal about her belief in the “Big Lie” regarding the 2020 presidential election. Her allegations concerning Richer were part of a broader narrative she advanced after her defeat to Democrat Katie Hobbs two years ago.

Details of the settlement remain confidential. Initial reports by The Washington Post were confirmed independently by the Arizona Mirror. A representative from Richer’s legal team stated that the matter had been resolved satisfactorily for both parties.

Richer had sought damages to cover security upgrades made to his home following threats linked to Lake’s unfounded claims. He also pursued punitive damages, compensation for reputational harm, and an admission of falsehood regarding Lake’s accusations.

Elected as county recorder in 2020, Richer lost his re-election bid earlier this year. His opponent, state Rep. Justin Heap, skirted clear statements on the alleged election theft but supported legislation aligned with conspiracy theories promoted by Lake.

The settlement news surfaced shortly after Lake’s ambiguous comments on conceding to Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, who won the U.S. Senate race by a margin exceeding 79,000 votes. Significantly, Lake has yet to formally concede her gubernatorial loss from two years ago.

Richer filed the defamation suit in June 2023, responding to Lake’s ongoing false assertions about his involvement in her electoral defeat. She had claimed, without evidence, that he orchestrated the counting of 300,000 fraudulent early ballots in Maricopa County. Over the course of two years, Lake faced continuous legal setbacks in her attempts to contest the election results.

In December 2023, Lake’s legal team sought the dismissal of the case, labeling her statements as mere rhetorical exaggerations. However, the presiding judge rejected this argument, allowing the lawsuit to continue. In March, Lake effectively defaulted in the case, indirectly conceding that her allegations against Richer were false, even as she maintained her claims in external conservative media appearances.

Subsequent months saw a protracted legal struggle between Lake and Richer over the exchange of evidence necessary for determining damages. Although Lake claimed a readiness to engage in the discovery process, she consistently delayed providing critical documents, alleging they had been deleted following her campaign’s dissolution.

Meanwhile, Richer’s defense had countered allegations of evidence tampering, clarifying that he merely deactivated his social media account temporarily. Lake’s Senate campaign declined to comment on the settlement.