OAN Geraldyn Berry & Sophia Flores
UPDATED 3:25 PM PT – Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Kari Lake has been ordered by Maricopa County Superior Judge Peter Thompson to pay $33,000 in legal fees to Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs, after her failed lawsuit.
The Republican gubernatorial candidate had filed a lawsuit where she questioned the integrity of the midterms while claiming election fraud. This suit was in a bid to overturn the midterm election results that came from Maricopa County.
In his ruling, Thompson said “The Court does NOT find clear and convincing evidence of misconduct” to support her claims of alleged printer issues and illegal voting.
“There is no doubt that each side believes firmly in its position with great conviction,” Thompson stated. “The fact that the plaintiff failed to meet the burden of clear and convincing evidence required … does not equate to a finding that her claims were, or were not, groundless and presented in bad faith.”
The judge rejected Lake’s arguments and said that her legal team did not show clear evidence that the election was tampered by intentional misconduct.
After the ruling, Lake announced her intention to appeal the ruling.