Republican Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, in the wake of her loss to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, just scored a victory in the court system as she pursues a belief that the 2022 midterms were not on the up and up.
According to the Washington Examiner, Lake's legal team will have the opportunity to inspect some ballots before a trial in which they'll challenge Arizona's election results.
Lake's lawyers were able to secure three out of the four demands they asked of the court.
The ruling came down Thursday, issued by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson.
Lake's legal team requested to inspect ballots in four different ways. One of the inspection processes that the judge approved includes the ability for her team "to review included 50 random 'ballot-on-demand' printed ballots that were cast on Election Day," the Examiner noted.
HUGE: A Superior Court Judge just ordered Maricopa County to give Kari Lake’s legal team access to inspect:
- 50 randomly selected “ballot-on-demand” printed on ED
- 50 early ballots cast on ED
- 50 ballots that were marked spoiled cast on ED.Inspection happens Tuesday.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 17, 2022
Her attorneys will also be able to inspect 50 random ballots that were cast early from "six separate Maricopa County batches," and lastly, they'll be able to inspect 50 ballot-on-demand printed ballots marked as "spoiled."
Lake's team was only denied its fourth inspection request of 50 random early ballots from ballot envelopes due to Arizona state election law.
An inspector, who had to be appointed by Lake's team by either Thursday or Friday -- the date was reportedly an error -- and that person will begin inspecting ballots by next Tuesday morning.
One condition of the inspection process, according to the judge's ruling, is that it "does not in any way interfere with any ongoing recount of the 2022 election results."
Lakes supporters on Twitter welcomed the news from the judge, as it was perceived as an early victory in her attempt to prove that something in Arizona had gone terribly wrong on Election Day.
Our lawsuit isn't based on conspiracy or wild speculation.
We have laid out a very clear theory about statutory violations and a broken chain of custody.
These ballots deserve close scrutiny and we're delighted we have been granted it. https://t.co/Tk259zQDAU pic.twitter.com/Jw0OACzgvE
— Kari Lake War Room (@KariLakeWarRoom) December 16, 2022
"Judge Delivers Massive Legal Victory for Kari Lake. Judge granted her to review ballots cast. Superior Court Judge Thompson ordered Maricopa Cnty to grant her lawyers access to inspect 50 randomly selected 'ballot-on-demand' printed ballots cast on Election Day," one Twitter user wrote.
Only time will tell if Lake's efforts to expose any alleged wrongdoing during the 2022 midterms will prevail, but it looks like her team is off to a swimming start.
