Federal Judge Rules Mike Lindell Defamed Smartmatic with False Election Claims

A federal judge in Minnesota has ruled that MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell defamed election technology company Smartmatic by making false statements alleging the company's involvement in rigging the 2020 presidential election. The ruling, issued on Friday, found that Lindell's claims were unsubstantiated and damaging to Smartmatic's reputation.

Judge Jeffrey Bryan stated that Lindell's assertions about Smartmatic's role in the election were false and that no reasonable person could find them to be true. However, the judge deferred ruling on whether Lindell acted with "actual malice," a determination necessary for Smartmatic to collect damages. Bryan noted that there are "genuine fact disputes" regarding Lindell's knowledge of the falsity of his statements.

The statements in question pertained to Lindell's allegations that Smartmatic's voting machines were used to alter votes in favor of President Joe Biden in Los Angeles County, California. In reality, Smartmatic's technology was only utilized in Los Angeles County during the 2020 election, and there is no evidence to support claims of vote manipulation.

Smartmatic's attorney, Erik Connolly, indicated that the company would seek significant damages from Lindell and MyPillow for spreading false information. "Smartmatic did not and could not have rigged the 2020 election," Connolly stated. "It was impossible, and everything that Mr. Lindell said about Smartmatic was false."

In response to the ruling, Lindell expressed disbelief and reiterated his accusations against Smartmatic, vowing to continue his efforts to eliminate electronic voting machines in favor of paper ballots. He also mentioned the possibility of taking his campaign to the U.S. Supreme Court.

This ruling is part of a series of legal challenges faced by Lindell and MyPillow related to false claims about the 2020 election. Smartmatic has previously reached settlements with other media outlets and continues to pursue legal action against those who have propagated misinformation about the company's role in the election.