Judge Peter Thompson ruled on Monday that two counts that the Republican had brought in challenge to her election defeat last month can proceed to trial, though he dismissed most of her case.
The two counts relate to allegations of ballot printer malfunctions, with the first count claiming that malfunctions in ballot-on-demand (BOD) printers on election day were not certified, while the second count alleges that there were violations of the County Election Manual with regard to ballots’ chain of custody.
Thompson did not rule on the merits of the allegations but gave Lake the opportunity to make her case in court.
Lake’s lawsuit claims that hundreds of thousands of votes were cast illegally and she is asking that the results in Maricopa County be thrown out. The suit asks for a new election or that Lake be declared the winner.
In a court filing on Friday, a lawyer for Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who defeated Lake, called claims in the lawsuit “rank speculation.”
“Kari Lake lost the Governor’s race to Katie Hobbs by 17,117 votes,” attorney Alexis Danneman wrote.
“In the face of this insurmountable margin, Lake brings a sprawling election contest, alleging everything from cyber hacking to Twitter mischief to intra-Republican warfare—all in an effort to sow distrust in Arizona’s election results,” the filing said.
Political scientists who spoke to Newsweek doubted that Lake would succeed in overturning the election results, but suggested the court case could boost her politically.
A Political Sideshow
Lake has long enjoyed the backing of former President Donald Trump and she’s echoed his unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him. Trump has sometimes demanded that he is reinstated as president or that the election is run again.
“Lake’s legal challenges to overturn the election look like they’re careening exactly in the same direction as Donald Trump’s: absolutely nowhere,” Thomas Gift, founding director of University College London’s Centre on U.S. Politics, told Newsweek.
“While the MAGA base might rally around the effort, most Arizonans see the preening for what it is: a political sideshow that’s as desperate as it is baseless,” he said.
A Christmas Miracle?
Lake’s claims are unlikely to be heard in court before the holidays and Hobbs is set to be sworn in as Arizona’s new governor on January 5, 2023. It may not be possible for Lake to prevent Hobbs taking the oath of office.
“While Kari Lake may feel she’s already won her challenge against the Arizona gubernatorial result, all the judges in Arizona have given her the right to do is prove her argument in court,” said Mark Shanahan, an associate professor at the University of Surrey, southern U.K., and co-editor of The Trump Presidency: From Campaign Trail to World Stage.
“Based on what we saw nationally in 2021, this feels like somewhere between a Hail Mary pass and a desire for a Christmas miracle. Cold, dry justice tends to be skeptical of both,” Shanahan told Newsweek.
Loyalty to Trump
Shanahan told Newsweek that “Lake’s timing is fascinating.”
“Coming as the January 6 House Committee made its recommendations to the Department of Justice to pursue charges against former President Trump, this feels a lot like a ’look-over-there’ move from a Trumpist who appears to have swallowed the ‘Election Steal’ conspiracy without chewing,” he said.
The House January 6 committee has recommended that Trump face criminal charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., assisting an insurrection, and obstructing an official proceeding of Congress.
“If this is about loyalty to 45, it is fealty of the highest order. It also keeps this celebrity-politician in the public eye for just a little longer,” Shanahan said. “And for so many Trumpists isn’t that the point, ratings and optics rather than true political impact?”
Auditioning for a TV Slot
Lake is a former TV news anchor and her gubernatorial run has made her a prominent figure in the Republican movement. A high-profile court case could keep her name in the news.
“Lake may be auditioning for a primetime anchor spot on Newsmax,” Gift told Newsweek, referring to the conservative network.
“But she’s certainly not playing the part of a serious public official determined to know the truth,” he said.
