Phoenix — On Thursday afternoon, the Arizona Supreme Court ordered sanctions against the attorneys representing former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake for continuously spreading false claims about the 2022 election. Kari Lake’s legal team was ordered to pay $2,000 to the court clerk for what the Arizona Supreme Court referred to as “unequivocally false” claims about fraudulent ballots.

Statement from Common Cause Arizona Program Director Jenny Guzman

“Election conspiracy theorists continue their losing streak with yesterday’s decision from the Arizona Supreme Court. We believe this sets a strong precedent for other trusted institutions to follow suit and call out the disinformation that seeks to sow doubt in our elections and our democratic institutions.

The abuse of taxpayer funds in order to further spread disinformation by partisan actors is unacceptable and only stands to disenfranchise more voters, particularly those most susceptible to voter suppression. The sanctions against Kari Lake and her team are a step in the right direction, but all government bodies have the responsibility to make clear that conspiracy theories and purposeful attempts to spread disinformation will not be tolerated.

We look to our government entities for guidance. As Arizona heads into another consequential election year, we need more leaders who are committed to truth and proof, and the efforts to combat disinformation must be ramped up to protect the voices of Arizonans and ensure a functioning democracy.”