Right-Wing Conspiracy Theorist Mike Lindell Sues Minnesota Officials to Undermine Recount After Dodging Payment
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
MyPillow CEO and notorious Trump ally Mike Lindell has filed a lawsuit against Minnesota officials, challenging the recount process for the GOP gubernatorial primary after refusing to pay for it. Lindell, who lost by a wide margin, claims the recount is unfairly limited to two candidates, continuing his baseless attacks on election integrity.
Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder infamous for spreading Trump’s election lies, has launched yet another attack on democracy by suing the Minnesota secretary of state and the State Canvassing Board. Lindell, who was soundly defeated in the August 11 Republican gubernatorial primary by state House Speaker Lisa Demuth by a margin of roughly 45,000 votes, had previously declared he would pay $825,000 for a full hand recount and audit. Predictably, Lindell failed to deliver the payment by the deadline.
In a phone interview, Lindell attempted to justify his refusal to pay, arguing that the recount plan would only examine ballots for himself and Demuth, not all seven candidates. 'I paid this to have all of the votes counted, not just two people,' he claimed, vowing to drag the process into court to demand a broader recount.
The secretary of state’s office, led by Democrat Steve Simon, responded that the recount plan was approved by the State Canvassing Board on August 18 and fully complies with state law and established procedures. Simon, who chairs the board, has declined to dignify Lindell’s antics with further comment.
Lindell, who continues to peddle the thoroughly debunked conspiracy that the 2020 election was 'compromised' by electronic voting machines, now asserts his team found 'irregularities' in the Minnesota primary. His lawsuit seeks to block a recount limited to the two leading candidates. Meanwhile, Demuth will face Democratic nominee Amy Klobuchar in the November general election.
Lindell’s legal troubles are mounting, as he faces multiple defamation lawsuits from voting-machine companies and has reportedly refused to pay court-ordered fees in a case involving Smartmatic USA Corp. His relentless attacks on democratic institutions and refusal to accept electoral defeat continue to undermine public trust in the electoral process.