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AG Nessel, SOS Benson Respond to Fees Awarded in Failed Election Lawsuit
December 02, 2021
LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson released the following statements in response to Michigan being awarded nearly $22,000 by U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Judge Linda Parker, which is related to previously-granted sanctions against attorneys who took part in a frivolous election lawsuit known as the "Kraken":
"The awarding of fees further holds accountable the attorneys who worked to distort our democracy in favor of lining their own pockets," Nessel said. "These attorneys demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the law and attempted to use the courts to further a false and destructive narrative. While there is likely no amount of money that can undo the damage they caused, I am happy to see these sanctions handed down."
"There are consequences to filing meritless lawsuits to grab media attention and mislead Americans," Benson said. "The sanctions awarded in this case are a testament to that, even if the dollar amounts pale in comparison to the damage that's already been done to our nation's democracy."
Judge Parker granted sanctions against the attorneys in August.
The opening paragraph of her 110-page opinion reads, "This lawsuit represents a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process. It is one thing to take on the charge of vindicating rights associated with an allegedly fraudulent election. It is another to take on the charge of deceiving a federal court and the American people into believing that rights were infringed, without regard to whether any laws or rights were in fact violated. This is what happened here."
A full copy of the opinion is on the Department of Attorney General's website.
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