Mike Lindell says aggressive poke led to attack claim

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell says he was aggressively poked by someone seeking a selfie in Sioux Falls, South Dakota this week, which led him to say he was attacked.

Lindell, who hosted an election fraud symposium in the city this week, told the conservative talk show, FlashPoint, that he was approached by a man who wanted a photo on Wednesday night.

“He put his arm around and stuck his finger, it was so much pressure, I just knew if I did anything something more was coming,” Lindell said, gesturing to his side. “He jammed it in where it was just piercing pain.”

Lindell had told the crowd Thursday at the election fraud symposium that said he was still in pain and wanted everyone to know about the evil in the world, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported.

The Sioux Falls Police Department said it is investigating a report of an assault at a hotel near the symposium. Police spokesman Sam Clemens has declined to identify the victim, citing Marsy’s Law, a state constitutional amendment that protects crime victims.

Lindell announced the symposium in July, saying he hoped hundreds of “cyber-forensics experts” would attend and back up his claims that voting machines were hacked to flip votes for former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden in 2020.

Almost all of the legal challenges casting doubt on the outcome of the election have been dismissed or withdrawn and many claims of fraud debunked. State and federal election officials have said there’s no evidence of widespread fraud.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said last month she suggested Lindell hold the event in her state.

She said that when she heard Lindell was looking for place to hold the symposium, she told him: “Why don’t you do that in South Dakota? We would love to host guests.’”

Noem did not attend the event. She acknowledged last month that Biden is the “duly elected president,” but raised the possibility of election fraud by adding, “If there is fraud, we should know the facts.”