DENVER — Mike Lindell, the founder of MyPillow and a leading figure in election conspiracy theories, maintained that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent as he testified on Monday. His testimony occurred during a defamation trial regarding his accusations against Eric Coomer, formerly with Dominion Voting Systems.
Lindell, addressing the court for the first time in this case, insisted he never knowingly made false claims about Coomer, who served as the product strategy and security director for the Denver-based company. Lindell had previously accused Coomer of involvement in a global crime of significant magnitude.
In his testimony, Lindell distanced himself from a narrative propagated by a conservative podcaster who accused Coomer of election rigging during a 2021 symposium Lindell organized. He stated he was unaware of the story before it was shared at the event and only became informed during the trial.
Coomer has claimed that Lindell’s remarks, further promoted on Lindell’s platform Frankspeech, have devastated his professional and personal life. Lindell described himself as a victim of “lawfare,” which he explained as being sued to suppress one’s voice.
Numerous conservative media outlets, including Fox News, Newsmax, and One America News, have settled defamation cases with voting machine companies after being accused of spreading false claims about the 2020 election. In 2021, Newsmax issued an apology to Coomer for presenting unfounded allegations against him.
Despite these circumstances, Lindell expressed hope that his trial would spark a wider examination of electronic voting machines, a frequent target in conspiracy theories. However, numerous audits and reviews in key states confirmed Joe Biden’s victory, and former Attorney General Bill Barr, serving under President Trump, found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Lindell asserted he never directly accused Coomer of election manipulation. However, he noted that claims concerning Coomer led to Newsmax barring him from discussing voting machines on their network.
At one point during testimony, Lindell accused Coomer’s attorney, Charles Cain, of being part of a massive cover-up and expressed anger over financial losses, stating he once had significant wealth that dissipated after he advocated for his election beliefs.
Judge Nina Wang and Cain had to remind Lindell to only answer specific questions rather than veer off-topic. The court heard from Coomer’s legal team about how conspiracy theories tarnished their client’s life and reputation, with Lindell’s comments causing significant distress.
Coomer detailed personal and professional losses, highlighting Lindell’s accusations as especially painful, recalling a specific statement where Lindell labeled his actions as “treason.” Seeking restitution through the trial, Coomer wishes to restore his reputation and receive reparations.
Lindell’s lawyers argued Coomer’s reputation was damaged well before Lindell’s involvement, partly due to Coomer’s own controversial social media activity. Chris Katchouroff, representing Lindell, pointed out Lindell is known for making extreme statements, originating from genuine concerns about election integrity, despite a lack of evidence to support these claims.