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The Arizona Supreme Court has ordered proceedings in her case challenging Maricopa County signature verification processes in the 2022 election to take place “forthwith” while also denying defendants’ attorneys fees and granting one sanction.
As reported by Just the News, Lake, who ran as the Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee, lost the 2022 election to then-Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs by around 17,000 votes. She is now suing Hobbs, who is currently the governor, as well as Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Maricopa County election officials, and is seeking to invalidate the election results or be declared the winner.
Lake’s lawsuit was reviewed by the Arizona Supreme Court in March, which remanded one of her seven counts back to the trial court and allowed the consideration of sanctions against her.
The remanded count pertained to Lake’s claim that Maricopa County violated its signature verification policies during the 2022 election, the outlet’s report continued.
“The signature verification allegation was remanded to the Maricopa County Superior Court, which was waiting on the high court to determine if she must pay sanctions to Hobbs and Fontes regarding her claim of 35,563 unaccounted early ballots being added to Maricopa County’s final tally,” the report said.
On Thursday, the state’s high court granted a request by defendants of $2,000 in sanctions against Lake’s counsel for “asserting ‘the undisputed fact that 35,563 unaccounted for ballots were added to the total number of ballots,’ and for repeating such false assertions in an additional filing in this proceeding,” the ruling stated.
However, the defendants’ requests for attorneys’ fees as sanctions were denied by the justices. The court also ordered “that the trial court shall forthwith conduct such proceedings as appropriate to resolve” the charges regarding the alleged signature verification process violations.
Noted polling firm Rasmussen Reports following the high court’s ruling: “Apparently upwards of 300,000 mail ballots in Maricopa County Arizona will now be checked for missing or mismatched signature issues in a race that has captured international attention and is divided by less than 15,000 ‘votes.’ Waiting to see the actual court order.”
Update: Apparently upwards of 300,000 mail ballots in Maricopa County Arizona will now be checked for missing or mismatched signature issues in a race that has captured international attention and is divided by less than 15,000 'votes.'
Waiting to see the actual court order. https://t.co/SSQqhNtScO
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) May 4, 2023
Arizona Supreme Court advances Kari Lake's claims of cheating in the Maricopa County election-Supreme Court appears annoyed that lower court isn't timely in following the Supreme Court orders.#TheGreatAmericaShow https://t.co/pqqnLEjvP9
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) May 5, 2023
Here's the latest on our court case!
"AZ Supreme Court orders hearing on Kari Lake's signature verification issue, denies attorney fees."https://t.co/lNMWgQp11P
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) May 5, 2023
Fact check: false. Missing context. AZ Supreme Court denied sanctions for the petition noting @KariLake won on key issue. AZ Supreme Court denied sanctions for attorneys fees. AZ Supreme Court required small $2K court fee over use of word "undisputed" in 1 sentence. Very minor. https://t.co/TJGn3CCwhI
— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) May 4, 2023
Earlier this week, Lake, a former Phoenix newscaster, teased what’s in store for her in the near future in a series of social media posts and interviews as speculation increases that she is eying a U.S. Senate run next year.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Lake wrote, “Are you ready for the next chapter?” — in a post that included a photo of her silhouetted on a stage with a state flag as her backdrop.
“While Lake’s name has been floated as a vice presidential contender, there are also rumors she could be eyeing a Senate run and is leaning in on raising her national profile,” the Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday. “Much of her popularity comes from her cozy relationship with [former President Donald] Trump, whom she has wholeheartedly supported and unabashedly defended.”
Still, Lake downplayed that Lake on Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Rumble show recently, explaining that she’s still focused on challenging the outcome of the gubernatorial election.
“Once it runs through the courts, then I’ll make my next move, and hopefully, my next move is moving into the governor’s office,” she told Guilfoyle, a former Fox News personality. “But if for some reason it’s so far gone, then I certainly will look at the Senate race.”
Are you ready for the next chapter? pic.twitter.com/HquXr2f9Ic
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) May 3, 2023
Should Lake decide on a Senate run, however, she already appears to have an advantage. Last month, one survey had Lake ahead of all other possible candidates in a hypothetical 2024 GOP Senate primary by 28 points, as reported by Just the News.
A recent poll conducted by JL Partners from April 10-12 showed that despite not announcing her plans to run for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-Ariz.) seat, 38% of registered Arizona Republicans and undeclared voters would vote for Kari Lake.
Karrin Taylor Robson, who lost the GOP gubernatorial primary to Lake last year, came in second place with 10% support.
