The law firm defending MyPillow and its CEO, Mike Lindell, in multiple election-related defamation cases wants to withdraw from the job, saying its attorneys are owed millions of dollars in unpaid legal fees and Lindell can't pay.
Andrew Parker, an attorney and owner with the law firm of Parker Daniels Kibort, asked a federal judge to approve the firm's withdrawal in a motion filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.
The attorney says payments from Lindell started to slow in 2023. By May, the firm was receiving only partial payments — and no payments have been made for legal work done in July or August.
According to Parker's motion, Lindell told the firm this week that he can't catch up or "make any payment on the large amount they owe in arrears nor pay for anywhere near the estimated expense of continuing to defend against the lawsuits going forward."
In an interview with the Star Tribune, Parker said it was a difficult decision to ask to leave the case. "This is a very important First Amendment constitutional case that should be decided in the courts," he said.
The Smartmatic and Dominion voting machine companies are each suing Lindell and MyPillow for more than $1 billion, claiming they were harmed by Lindell's debunked allegations of election fraud. The MyPillow CEO has repeatedly made the false claim that the companies rigged machines in favor of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Lindell has denied their defamation claims.
The law firm is also representing Lindell in another defamation suit brought by former Dominion employee Eric Coomer.
The inability to cover legal fees is the latest financial challenge for Lindell, whose Chaska-based MyPillow recently auctioned off hundreds of pieces of equipment and started subleasing some of its manufacturing space.
