Federal Judge Removes Lawyer from Dominion Defamation Case for Email Leak
A federal judge has expelled an election-denying lawyer from a Dominion Voting Systems defamation case related to the 2020 election. The lawyer, Stefanie Lambert, was removed after she leaked internal emails from the company. This decision is part of broader legal actions surrounding alleged election interference by individuals linked to former President Donald Trump.
Background on Stefanie Lambert and Patrick Byrne
Stefanie Lambert represented Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in a lawsuit filed by Dominion due to Byrne’s repeated claims that the company rigged the 2020 elections against Trump. Lambert leaked Dominion emails to right-wing Michigan sheriff Dar Leaf, who investigated unfounded election fraud theories and then posted private contact information of Dominion staff online.
Judge Moxila Upadhyaya, in a 62-page ruling, cited Lambert’s “truly egregious misconduct” and noted that she “repeatedly disregarded court orders” by publicly disclosing “thousands, if not millions” of internal documents without legal justification. Upadhyaya wrote, “Byrne and Lambert’s acts have not only fueled theories of wide scale election fraud and crime … they have resulted in real harm and threats to Dominion employees.”
Legal Troubles and Allegations
Lambert has faced criminal charges in Michigan for her role in allegedly conspiring to seize voting machines in 2020. Initially a defense lawyer in Detroit focusing on routine criminal cases, she pivoted to joining efforts to challenge President Joe Biden’s legitimate victory and sought to impound voting machines across Michigan.
Patrick Byrne, the former CEO of Overstock.com, is also under scrutiny for advising Trump on overturning the election. He was a speaker at the January 6 rally before the Capitol attack and donated $1 million to the nonprofit The American Project, which promoted election fraud theories. Byrne’s past includes a romantic involvement with convicted Russian spy Maria Butina, who was convicted in 2018 for acting as an agent of Russia to advance its interests in the US.
Consequences for Election Interference
Numerous pro-Trump lawyers and officials have faced repercussions for their attempts to alter the 2020 election outcome, including losing their law licenses or being involved in ongoing defamation lawsuits. For more detailed information on the legal proceedings and ongoing cases, visit the US News and Chicago Tribune websites.
