Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan – A lawyer who faces criminal charges for unauthorized access to Michigan voting machines following the 2020 election was apprehended by U.S. Marshals after a hearing related to another case in federal court in Washington, D.C.
Stefanie Lambert, representing Patrick Byrne, a well-known supporter of election conspiracy theories, obtained confidential emails from Dominion Voting Systems, a company targeted by unfounded allegations regarding former President Donald Trump’s electoral defeat. Lambert’s actions led to her arrest on “local charges” after a Michigan judge issued a bench warrant for her failure to appear in court on four felony counts for accessing voting machines in search of evidence to support baseless claims of election fraud against Trump. Lambert, who had previously tried and failed to overturn Trump’s loss in Michigan, had disseminated the Dominion emails.
Earlier on the same day, Lambert admitted to providing Dominion records to law enforcement. This disclosure was followed by the posting of more documents on a social media platform under the name of Dar Leaf, a sheriff in northern Michigan known for investigating unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud during the 2020 election.
Dominion swiftly acted to have Lambert removed from the Byrne case for violating a protective order issued by U.S. District Court Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya. The company cited threats triggered by Lambert’s actions, which propagated conspiracy theories surrounding Trump’s loss.
During a hearing, Upadhyaya announced plans to consider imposing sanctions on Lambert or excluding her from the case. Dominion has filed multiple defamation lawsuits against prominent figures propagating election fraud theories, as in the case of Byrne, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, and attorney Sidney Powell.
The legal saga surrounding the aftermath of the 2020 election continues to unfold, shedding light on the enduring impacts of misinformation and disinformation on the electoral process. As the legal battles intensify, the repercussions of baseless allegations and unauthorized disclosures reverberate across the political landscape.