Judge: MyPillow CEO Counter-Suits Dismissed, Pay Smartmatic Fees
By: Azmi Haroun (Insider)
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell walks on the hallway at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones
- A federal judge dealt a win to Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems against Mike Lindell.
- The judge ordered Mike Lindell to pay legal fees for Smartmatic's case against him so far.
- Lindell told Insider he'll appeal the ruling. "We're focused on getting rid of the machines," he said.
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A federal judge ordered MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to pay part of Smartmatic's legal fees in the voting company's defamation lawsuit against him, also dismissing counter-suits Lindell had filed against Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems.
In the Friday ruling, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said that because of "frivolous" and "groundless," claims, his counter-suits could be dismissed, and his lawyers would also be sanctioned.
"The Court concludes that at the very least Lindell's claim against Smartmatic under the Support or Advocacy Clause falls on the frivolous side of the line (other claims do too)," Nichols wrote, according to the ruling. "As a result, the Court orders Lindell and his previous counsel to pay some of the fees and costs Smartmatic has incurred defending itself and moving for sanctions."
In the counterclaims, filed against Smartmatic, Dominion Voting Systems, and Hamilton Place, Lindell repeated election lies and alleged in filings that Smartmatic and Dominion were owned by Chinese nationals, and that they destroyed his reputation and financial standing with the help of a PR firm.
"This was the biggest crime family, probably bigger than the mafia crime family," Lindell told Insider in a March interview. "They were part of the biggest crime in human history, period. That's where we're at."
Lindell stood by his claims in a call with Insider Friday.
"This case is not frivolous, and it never was," he said. "We're focused on getting rid of the machines."
When asked if his team would appeal the decisions, he said, "Of course, 100% we'll appeal."
Smartmatic filed their defamation lawsuit against Lindell in January, calling him "crazy like a fox." The company is asking for undisclosed damages and for the Trump ally to refute election claims he made about Smartmatic and Dominion. Dominion Voting Systems has also filed a defamation suit against Lindell for $1.3 billion, which Lindell has failed to get dismissed too.
Smartmatic's counsel asked the judge for sanctions against his lawyers early in the case, arguing that they were openly trafficking the election lies. In the case, Smartmatic's lawyers have also accused Lindell of not cooperating with the discovery process and holding on to documents.
"There's no legal precedent for the claims that are being brought," Smartmatic's attorney J. Erik Connolly told Insider in March. "I understand that someone can throw a lot of spaghetti on the wall. But that doesn't provide you a factual or a legal predicate for a claim."
Smartmatic's attorneys did not immediately return Insider's request for comment.
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Trolling, taunting, spamming, and off topic comments may be removed at the discretion of group mods. NT members that vote up their own comments, repeat comments, or continue to disrupt the conversation risk having all of their comments deleted. Please remember to quote the person(s) to whom you are replying to preserve continuity of this seed. Any use of the phrase "Trump Derangement Syndrome" or the TDS acronym in a comment will be deleted.
every time that moron opens his mouth, it costs him more money.
And he might just be stupid enough to think that Trump will have his back.
probably, he's certainly stupid enough to believe all the bullshit he spreads.
It was Trump who appointed Judge Nichols.
So what?
Why is that significant given what I wrote?
I was speaking of Trump having Lindell's back. It does not matter who appointed a judge who rules against Lindell. What matters is that the judge ruled against Lindell and Trump is almost certainly NOT going to support his loyal sycophant Lindell.
I think his stupidity is in believing that others generally believe the bullshit he spreads.
[deleted]
Why don't you go whine on one of your own seeds where there's no moderation for us?
Trolling, taunting, spamming, and off topic comments may be removed at the discretion of group mods. NT members that vote up their own comments, repeat comments, or continue to disrupt the conversation risk having all of their comments deleted.
fuck off
How many does that make for you this week?
lol
1, so far...
nobody cares.
In Canada, that's how judges discourage frivolous claims, they require the losing claimant to reimburse EVERY CENT it cost the defendant to defend it, to be paid FORTHWITH, or else it's contempt of court. It's good to see that at least one judge in "Litigation Nation" has no patience for those who waste the time of the court.
Sorry, I just realized I didn't write that correctly. the Canadian judges require the losing claimant's LAWYER to reimburse the defendant, not the claimant. Now THAT has teeth and sure as hell then requires the lawyers to think twice before taking such a case. If the frivolous claimant acts for himself, then he/she gets hit with that penalty.
He's such a moron. All these nutcases should have to pay all court costs and associated fines and attorneys fees and anything else of the companies they defamed
So the pillow pounder thinks that electronic voting machine tampering (which they have zero evidence of) is a bigger crime than the genocide of 7 million people by the Nazi's? Or the starvation of nearly 20 million people in Russia? The monumental stupidity of a statement like that is stunning, though not that surprising coming from the Trump fan base.
Well, you never know what a kid is going to pick up in school
Stop snorting your pillows, Mike.
You forget Mike you moron that trumpturd is really a crime boss in his own right and his 'presidency' was a criminal enterprise with Barr as his consigliere.
Her just can't help himself. When some of these people go off the deep end, they seem to jump in full force.
Cannonball!
First thing, Mike…lose the porn ‘stache’. Second, please do continue…you give a voice to those only so eager wanting to believe, regardless of the inanity and the insanity, telling all that they look as silly as you.
Lindell said if his countersuit gets thrown out, he will throw out his business suit too.
He is planning to go to court in his birthday suit.
then everybody will get to see his original crack pipe...
Lindel has gone 'all in' on something. I wonder what that 'something' is and what he personally expected to get out of it.
Although for the moment anyway, Trump still stands, is still touring and selling Trump merch. On the other hand, dozens upon dozens of folks who worked in his administration, had contact with him in the private sector or worked in his campaigns are finding themselves in legal jeopardy, financial hardship or both. Lindel has much to hide or is in a constant state of fear from other things unmentionable. A read of Rick Wilson's book, "Everything Trump Touches, Dies," may have saved many from past, present and future angst.
Lindell is pathetic. And that's about the nicest thing I can think of to say about him.
And that is assuming the 'whole crack thing' with Lindell was true in the first place.
lindell is smoking trump's crack now...
Lindell brags about being a successful crack addict
How this entrepreneur went from a crack addict to a self-made multimillionair
Mike Lindell says there aren’t many crack addicts who’ve become successful, but he’s one of them.
“It can be done, people,” he laughed.
The self-made multimillionaire and infomercial superstar created the MyPillow empire from scratch in 2004. He did it while addicted to drugs. “People say all the time that’s one of the biggest miracles ever.
”
Do you believe him? I don't.
Lindell is a bonafide nut case whose frivolous lawsuit should never have been allowed to begin with. Glad to see it thrown out.