A group of pro-Trump election deniers has disrupted a defamation lawsuit against Dominion Voting Systems by leaking internal emails to a Michigan sheriff investigating alleged fraud in the 2020 election. Attorney Stefanie Lambert provided confidential Dominion documents to Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has embraced conspiracy theories and posted over 2,000 internal Dominion documents on social media. Lambert, who represents former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, had access to these files as part of the defamation case against Byrne for spreading false information about the 2020 election.
The leaked documents have shifted attention away from the defamation case, leading to further hearings to address the matter and potential consequences for Lambert. Michigan prosecutors had previously indicted Lambert in connection with an alleged voting machine seizure conspiracy aimed at proving Donald Trump’s election fraud claims. During a recent court hearing, Lambert disappeared after being directed to stay behind by the judge, sparking questions about her potential arrest. Dominion is seeking Lambert’s removal from the case and suspects that she may have committed a crime by leaking the internal files to Sheriff Leaf, who in turn has claimed the documents reveal Serbian meddling in the election.
Despite Lambert’s claims of reporting a crime to law enforcement, Dominion has denounced her and Byrne for spreading false information about Serbian interference in the election. The company has also sued other pro-Trump figures who spread similar lies about the 2020 election, including Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and right-wing media networks. The controversy surrounding the leaked documents has led to restrictions on Lambert’s access to the Dominion database and the need for further hearings to determine any violations of court orders.