Court: Mark Finchem sanctioned after 'groundless' election lawsuit
The Republican candidate who lost the Arizona secretary of state election has been sanctioned after the lawsuit he filed, claiming “misconduct” and “illegal votes,” was deemed groundless.
Mark Finchem had claimed that election misconduct, including tabulator malfunctions, had led to his loss against current Secretary of State Adrian Fontes.
The Maricopa County Superior Court found Finchem’s allegations to be groundless, “not brought in good faith,” and, even if they were true, they wouldn’t have changed the election results.
Both Finchem and his attorney have been fined reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by the then Secretary of State-Elect Fontes and Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. Fontes will also be awarded nearly $300.
Finchem released a statement on Twitter on Monday afternooon. He said the "award is designed to quash any and all dissent where elections are in question" and called the 2022 election "the most embarrassing election in American history."
Statement by Republican Nominee for Arizona Secretary of State Mark Finchem on the Sanctions
— Mark Finchem - Never Stop Fighting (@RealMarkFinchem) March 6, 2023
The 6-page order by Judge Julian to award lawyer reimbursement to leftist litigators who represent the Sinaloa Cartel, now the installed Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, and /1
