Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Smartmatic’s Claims Against MyPillow and CEO Mike Lindell
A federal judge in Minnesota has denied MyPillow and its CEO Mike Lindell’s request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, a voting technology provider. Smartmatic alleges that Lindell and MyPillow’s false narrative claiming that the company rigged votes in the 2020 election caused Smartmatic’s market value to drop from $3 billion to $1 billion.
Smartmatic’s Lawsuit
Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion lawsuit against Fox News, several of its presenters, and former President Donald Trump’s attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell for their false claims that the company was involved in Election fraud. The company reported that these false claims severely damaged their reputation and ultimately cost them employees and clients.
Fox News has argued that Smartmatic failed to specify how it was defamed in their reports and that their arguments are based on political opinion. Similarly, Giuliani has stated that the lawsuit is an attempt to suppress free speech and dismisses the claims as “frivolous.”
MyPillow and Lindell’s Response
In February, MyPillow and Lindell were added as defendants in Smartmatic’s ongoing lawsuit against Fox News. Smartmatic alleges that MyPillow and Lindell falsely claimed that the company helped rig the 2020 election for now-President Joe Biden.
MyPillow and Lindell have consistently denied that their claims against Smartmatic were false or defamatory. They attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed, claiming that Smartmatic failed to prove that the company’s claims caused any financial damage.
Federal Judge’s Ruling
However, on Monday, a federal judge in Minnesota refused to dismiss Smartmatic’s claims against MyPillow and Lindell. The judge wrote that Smartmatic’s allegations that their market value dropped because of Lindell’s claims were plausible and should be heard in court. The case will now move forward to trial.
Smartmatic’s CEO Antonio Mugica has stated that they will continue to pursue litigation against those who have spread false information about the company. He believes that this lawsuit and others like it will set a precedent for holding those who spread lies accountable.
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Original Story at www.law360.com – 2022-09-20 07:00:00