Topline
Voting machine company Smartmatic filed a defamation lawsuit against MyPillow and its CEO Mike Lindell Tuesday for spreading false conspiracy theories about election fraud involving the company’s machines, the latest in a string of defamation suits Smartmatic and rival company Dominion Voting Systems have brought to counter the baseless claims.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, speaks to reporters outside federal court in Washington on June 24, 2021. … [+]
Key Facts
Smartmatic sued Lindell and MyPillow in federal court for defamation and deceptive trade practices, alleging the CEO “intentionally stoked the fires of xenophobia and party-divide for the noble purpose of selling his pillows.”
Lindell knowingly spread “lies” about Smartmatic’s machines being used to switch votes in the 2020 election “because he wants to be seen as a champion of a deceptive message that still sells,” Smartmatic alleged.
There is no evidence of any widespread fraud involving Smartmatic’s machines, which were only used in Los Angeles County, California, in the 2020 election.
Smartmatic alleged that because of Lindell’s claims, the company’s valuation has gone from being “in excess of $3.0 billion” before the 2020 election to less than $1 billion now (Forbes independently valued Smartmatic at $730 million based on its estimated 2020 sales, which the company disputes).
Smartmatic is asking for an unspecified amount in monetary damages and attorneys fees, as well as for an order that would require Lindell and MyPillow to “retract their false statements and implications fully and completely.”
Lindell’s attorney has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Crucial Quote
“Crazy like a fox. Mike Lindell knows exactly what he is doing, and it is dangerous,” the lawsuit alleges. “The country will sleep better at night knowing the judicial system holds people like Mr. Lindell accountable for spreading disinformation that deceives and harms others.”
Chief Critic
Lindell has refused to back down from his baseless claims of widespread election fraud despite the litigation being brought against him, and filed a lawsuit in June against Dominion and Smartmatic accusing the companies of “weaponizing the litigation process to silence political dissent and suppress evidence” of fraud. (Lindell voluntarily dismissed that lawsuit in December to instead file counterclaims in Dominion’s defamation lawsuit against him.)
Key Background
Smartmatic’s lawsuit against Lindell and MyPillow follows separate litigation the company has already brought against attorneys Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, Fox News and far-right news networks Newsmax and One America News Network (OANN). Dominion, whose machines have been the primary focus of the far-right conspiracy theories, sued Lindell and MyPillow in February, similarly alleging the CEO “sells the lie” about Dominion “because the lie sells pillows.” The company has also filed suit against Powell, Giuliani, Fox News, former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, Newsmax, OANN and several of its anchors. That litigation is all still pending, and Lindell, Powell and Giuliani’s motions to dismiss the lawsuits against them failed in August.
Further Reading
After Lawsuits Against Newsmax And OANN, Here’s Who Dominion And Smartmatic Have Sued So Far—And Who Could Be Next (Forbes)
Dominion Voting Sues MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell For Defamation Over Election Conspiracy (Forbes)
Voting Company Smartmatic Sues One America News And Newsmax For Defamation Over Election Fraud Claims (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/01/18/voting-company-smartmatic-sues-mypillow-ceo-mike-lindell-for-defamation/