A recent development in the ongoing defamation lawsuit involving Dominion Voting Systems has caused a stir, as internal emails from the company were leaked to a Michigan sheriff by a group of pro-Trump election deniers. The leak, orchestrated by attorney Stefanie Lambert, provided confidential Dominion documents to Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has been actively investigating alleged fraud in the 2020 election.
Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, known for embracing conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election, posted over 2,000 internal Dominion documents on his social media account following the leak. Lambert, who represents former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in a defamation case brought by Dominion, had access to the company's files as part of the legal proceedings.
The controversy deepened as Lambert, who is facing criminal charges in Michigan related to election fraud claims, failed to appear for recent court proceedings. During a hearing in Washington, DC, Lambert was instructed to remain in the courtroom after the session concluded, leading to speculation about her whereabouts.
Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya intervened by restricting Lambert's access to the Dominion documents database and emphasized the need to prevent further dissemination of the leaked materials. Dominion's legal team expressed concerns about the safety of their employees following the disclosure, citing new death threats in the aftermath.
Despite claims made by Lambert, Leaf, and Byrne alleging Serbian interference in the 2020 election, Dominion vehemently denied the accusations, labeling them as false and xenophobic. The company's spokesperson reiterated that any suggestion of Dominion employees meddling in elections is baseless.
The unfolding events have shifted the focus away from the defamation lawsuit, prompting the need for additional hearings to address the leak and potential repercussions for Lambert. Dominion's legal representatives are seeking Lambert's removal from the case and have raised the possibility of criminal charges for disseminating the internal documents.
As the legal battle continues, Dominion remains embroiled in defamation suits against several pro-Trump figures, including Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and media outlets like Newsmax and One America News. Notably, Dominion reached a $787 million settlement with Fox News last year in what is considered the largest publicly known defamation settlement in US history.
