Republican Arizona Senate hopeful Kari Lake forfeited her ability to defend herself in a defamation lawsuit, instead asking the court to decide damages.
Lake, who lost her 2022 bid for governor to now-Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ), justified her decision by saying she was a victim of lawfare, or the use of the legal system to impoverish a political opponent. She requested that the judge set a default judgment hearing, forfeiting her right to defend herself, and instead go straight to determining whether or not damages are owed to the plaintiff and how much.
The lawsuit was brought forward by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, who accused Lake of making defamatory statements surrounding the 2022 gubernatorial election. Richer, who is also a Republican and filed the lawsuit from a personal capacity, claimed Lake and her gubernatorial campaign team falsely accused him of
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