Judge denies Arizona Gov.-elect Hobbs' request to sanction Lake over election lawsuit

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson on Tuesday rejected Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs' request to sanction her former opponent, Republican nominee Kari Lake, for a lawsuit challenging Arizona's election results. 

Hobbs, in her official capacity as both secretary of state and governor-elect, along with Maricopa County, filed the request to force Lake and her legal team to pay the attorneys' fees for all parties in the election lawsuit, which the county and Hobbs said was groundless and in bad faith.

"There is no doubt that each side believes firmly in its position with great conviction," Thompson said in his ruling Tuesday, The Hill reported. He said Lake did not provide clear and convincing evidence but did not reach the standard for sanctions to be imposed.

Lake will be required under Thompson's ruling to reimburse Hobbs more than $33,000 for some costs during the trial because she lost the case.

The bulk of the fees is for expert witnesses that Hobbs called in.

Lake, who argued that the Maricopa County midterm election was riddled with equipment and procedural errors, has vowed to appeal the court's decision after she lost her election lawsuit on Saturday.