Mike Lindell, a conservative activist and the owner of MyPillow, announced Monday that his company has sued Dominion Voting Systems for $1.6 billion, saying the company has engaged in cancel culture and impeded his First Amendment rights.
“MyPillow just sued Dominion for $1.6 billion. This is all about the First Amendment rights to free speech, what they have done to our country,” Mr. Lindell said during a livestream on the Right Side Broadcasting Network.
“This isn’t about the money. This is about our First Amendment,” he said.
Mr. Lindell was joined by lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who said Dominion has acted as the government due to the power the feds extended to the voting company, and that Dominion now is suppressing the viewpoints of critics.
“We don’t suppress. We don’t censor, but that is what Dominion is trying to do on behalf of the government,” said Mr. Dershowitz, who is advising Mr. Lindell and his legal team. “We are going to be demanding access to their machines, to their codes.”
Stephen Shackelford, a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP serving as Dominion’s legal counsel, said the lawsuit had no merit.
“This is a meritless retaliatory lawsuit, filed by MyPillow to try to distract from the harm it caused to Dominion,” he said.
The announcement comes after Dominion sued Mr. Lindell for $1.3 billion earlier this year, saying he defamed Dominion Voting Systems by alleging the company rigged the 2020 presidential election in favor of President Biden.
Dominion’s case, pending in federal court in Washington, is before Judge Carl J. Nichols, a Trump appointee. Mr. Lindell filed a motion to dismiss the defamation lawsuit last week.
Dominion also launched defamation lawsuits related to the 2020 election against former President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani, pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell and Fox News.
MyPillow’s lawsuit against Dominion, filed in federal court in Minnesota, argues that Dominion has engaged in “lawfare” by suing to silence critics who question the validity of their voting machines.
“Dominion’s purpose is to silence debate; to eliminate any challenge to the 2020 presidential election; and to cancel and destroy anyone who speaks out against Dominion’s work on behalf of the government in administering the election,” the 51-page complaint read. “Dominion is using the legal process as a weapon to suppress free speech.”
Mr. Lindell said he chose to sue the company because they went after his employees and his company. He said there have been media and business opportunities lost because of the backlash he’s faced due to accusations launched by Dominion.
“I’ve been canceled individually on just about every platform known to man,” he said.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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