By Natalie Neysa Alund and Melina Khan | USA Today
A federal jury has found MyPillow founder Mike Lindell liable for defaming a former Colorado voting system executive after the 2020 presidential election.
The Denver-based jury determined on June 16 that Lindell made “baseless conspiracy theories claiming election fraud in the 2020 election” and slandered Eric Coomer, a former director at Dominion Voting Systems, a North American company that makes and sells voting machines and tabulators.
Coomer filed the suit in the District of Colorado in May 2022, claiming Lindell and two of his companies − MyPillow and FrankSpeech − helped spread a conspiracy theory that he rigged the election against President Donald Trump.
According to the 67-page suit obtained by USA TODAY, Lindell previously called Coomer “a traitor.”
The trial started on June 2 and lasted two weeks, online court records show.
“We’re thrilled with the verdict,” said Coomer’s attorney, Charles Caine, told Colorado Public Radio (CPR), after the jury handed down its decision, adding his client has “gone through a lot and he’s still going to be looking over his shoulder… Hopefully this serves as deterrence for individuals working on our elections from being targeted.”
Mike Lindell ordered to pay $2.3 million in damages
Lindell, 63, has publicly defended his claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
“They’re coming after me and MyPillow for telling the truth about our elections!” Lindell wrote on May 31 on Facebook.
After the verdict, Lindell was ordered to pay nearly $2.3 million in damages, CPR reported, a number nowhere near the award amount Coomer had requested ($62.7 million). Jurors, the outlet said, rejected claims Lindell and his two companies were responsible for comments made by others on social media platforms he controlled.