Lake deletes tweet targeting Maricopa judge after officials seek sanctions

Defeated Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R) has deleted a tweet accusing the judge who dismissed her election challenge of violating integrity.

In a tweet posted early Monday morning, founding partners at the law firm representing incoming Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, said to Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, who created the dismissal, “What should I say?” ” suggests that you sent an email.

“Kari Lake election lawsuit dismissal shows voter disenfranchisement is no longer an issue @Rach_IC:” legal experts believe in his decision [by Judge Thompson] They suspect a top left-wing lawyer like Mark Elias emailed him what to say,” the now-deleted tweet reads.

Maricopa County and Hobbes, in their capacity as both secretary of state and governor-elect, citing this tweet, urged judges to impose sanctions on Lake and her attorneys on Monday, urging Lake’s campaign’s broader election to begin. He claimed the challenge was baseless and constituted harassment.

Lake’s campaign argued in court that the post “just retweeted” the article’s author, Rachel Alexander.

The tweet quoted Alexander’s opinion piece published on the conservative website Town Hall, but did not mention which legal experts believed the judge had committed wrongdoing. and has not provided evidence of the allegations.

“Tweets, especially those created by others, do not support sanctions under Arizona law,” Lake’s campaign wrote to the judge.

The Hill has reached out to Lake’s campaign for further comment.

Elias Law Group, a progressive elections law firm managed by Mark Elias, is representing Hobbes in the case in his capacity as governor-elect.

A company spokesperson deferred commenting on Elias’ tweet about Lake’s post.

Elias: “I lied more than usual today.” wrote on twitter“More than after the 2020 election. I’m always the first to point them out and ask them to be removed. Honorable people do. But those who still lie about me I’m doing it on purpose, but I’m done. Good night.”