Mike Lindell, also known as the My Pillow Guy, listens to former President Donald Trump speak in July 2024 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).
For the second time in three months, a federal judge is scrutinizing why MyPillow CEO and 2020 election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell has not adhered to a court mandate, hinting at potential “further contempt sanctions.”
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Donald Trump, has been overseeing defamation lawsuits linked to Dominion Voting Systems following the 2020 election.
About a year ago, Judge Nichols ordered Lindell to pay over $50,000 to Smartmatic, a voting machine company now facing indictment. Smartmatic’s technology was exclusively utilized in Los Angeles County during the 2020 election.
Smartmatic was drawn into the Dominion lawsuit as a third-party defendant after Lindell countersued, alleging RICO violations. Nichols imposed a $56,369 sanction due to some “frivolous” claims in Lindell’s countersuit.
In March, Smartmatic filed a motion to hold Lindell in civil contempt, arguing he has neither paid the amount nor engaged in meaningful discussions or negotiations about payment terms.
A recent status report revealed the ensuing developments. In April, the judge requested Lindell to prove his “inability to pay,” leading Lindell to submit sealed financial records on April 18.
In early June, Smartmatic said, the company “filed under seal a Declaration and certain information pertaining to its understanding of Mr. Lindell”s financial position,” and served copies on Lindell’s counsel “the same day.” Nichols one week later “issued a sealed order to Defendants.”
On Halloween, Nichols ordered Lindell to explain “why he has not complied” with that sealed order. Lindell attorney Christopher Kachouroff, in turn, offered up as an explanation that he wasn’t able to access the sealed orders and hadn’t received them by mail.
Kachouroff, seeking an extension, also revealed that Lindell had “obtained new counsel who is expected to enter an appearance within weeks and the undersigned is working diligently to transition this case to new counsel.”
Nichols responded by granting that extension, issuing an order directing the clerk’s office and Smartmatic to “ensure” Lindell’s team received copies of both the sealed order and Smartmatic’s declaration and filed exhibits about Lindell’s finances, and setting a deadline for an update in mid-December.
The ensuing Smartmatic update stated that its assessment of Lindell’s finances showed he “raised an additional $86,000 for his legal defense fund, totaling $448,819” and, in addition, “based upon publicly available documentation,” raised “$125,222 in defense funds” relating to the defamation lawsuit that Smartmatic brought in Minnesota.
Smartmatic further said it “provided the documents” to Lindell’s “new counsel,” without naming the attorney or attorneys. As of Tuesday, the court docket still lists Kachouroff as Lindell’s lead attorney of record.
Nichols’ Monday minute order set a deadline of Jan. 19 at the latest for Lindell to show cause “for why he has still not complied with the Sealed Order” and the judge’s Oct. 31 order.
Nichols then put Lindell on notice, issuing a clear warning that threatened “further contempt sanctions” if he fails to govern himself accordingly.
“The Court warns Defendant Lindell that failure to comply with this order may result in further contempt sanctions,” the judge said.
