A federal court in Minnesota found MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell in contempt for failing to meet discovery obligations in a defamation lawsuit filed by voting software company Smartmatic. The court ordered Lindell and MyPillow to provide extensive requested discovery and to pay Smartmatic’s attorneys’ fees, with the amount to be determined later.
The ruling outlines a series of missed deadlines, misrepresentations, and violations of previous court orders. The judge concluded that Lindell and his company had disobeyed multiple orders, granting Smartmatic’s motion for contempt.
The lawsuit, initiated in January 2022, is one of several legal battles Lindell and MyPillow face related to election-related conspiracy theories. A central issue in this case involved Lindell’s failure to provide viewership data for a disputed video, along with other requested information. The dispute over discovery dates back to October 2022, when the defendants’ responses were deemed insufficient. Despite court orders, deadlines were missed, and compliance was repeatedly delayed.
In February 2023, Lindell and MyPillow failed to respond to a motion to compel, only filing an opposition after a judge ordered them to do so. A magistrate judge strongly suggested compliance, and Lindell’s legal team assured the court they would provide the requested materials. By August 2023, the judge acknowledged their commitment but reiterated the requirement to comply with discovery rules.
However, the defendants continued to resist full compliance, prompting Smartmatic to file another round of motions. The company sought detailed financial and tax records, which also went unproduced. In September 2024, Smartmatic requested a contempt ruling, arguing that Lindell had openly disregarded court orders. The company cited statements from Lindell indicating that he was unconcerned with the litigation and had chosen to ignore court directives.
During a hearing in December, a defense attorney admitted that the requested video data had not been provided, and Smartmatic confirmed they had not received the financial records either. Since then, the case has involved additional hearings, filings, and orders addressing various aspects of discovery.
In its latest order, the court determined that Lindell had not meaningfully complied with requests for video viewership data and had entirely failed to provide required financial records. The judge dismissed claims from the defense that a single screenshot from Google Analytics constituted compliance. The court found that the screenshot did not provide actual data, and even the plaintiffs’ attorney could not interpret its contents.
Regarding financial disclosures, the judge ruled that Lindell had failed to produce required documents covering his financial condition for 2022 and 2023. The court ordered Lindell to submit financial statements by March 13, provide complete viewership data by March 27, and submit tax returns for 2022 and 2023 upon completion or by April 3. If the tax returns are not ready, Lindell must provide an affidavit explaining the delay.
Additionally, Smartmatic was instructed to calculate the legal costs associated with pursuing the contempt motion, and the court will later determine the amount Lindell and MyPillow must pay in attorneys’ fees.
