Mike Lindell Drops His Phone Lawsuit

Mike Lindell has dropped his lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) for seizing his phone, according to court records.

The Context

Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and a staunch Trump ally, said his phone was seized in 2022 as part of a search warrant by FBI agents. Investigators stopped Lindell at a fast-food restaurant drive-through window in Minnesota while they were looking into an alleged scheme to breach voting system technology in Mesa County, Colorado, he claimed. They questioned him on his belief that the 2020 election was rigged.

Lindell sued the DOJ, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated by the seizure.

Three lower courts ruled against Lindell and he attempted to elevate his case to the Supreme Court.

But he since filed for a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which was granted by U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Lindell has faced financial difficulties. He has said he spent $40 million on failed legal efforts to overturn the election results, leaving him with financial woes as some retailers have stopped carrying his pillow brand.

What We Know

The order said: "Based on the Stipulation for Dismissal without Prejudice filed by Plaintiffs Michael J. Lindell and MyPillow, Inc., and Defendants United States of America, Attorney General Merrick Garland, the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota, and FBI Directory Christopher Wray, ECF No. 93, IT IS ORDERED that the action is DISMISSED without prejudice, and without costs, disbursements, or attorneys' fees to any party."

Views

Speaking to Newsweek over text message, Lindell said he dropped the suit to prioritize other legal issues and because it had failed in the past.

"I have cases going on to get rid of the voting machines that need resources including lawyers time," he said.

"The cell phone case has been blocked by the government and I had to make a decision of order of importance of both my time and lawyers time!"

What's Next?

Lindell has also asked the Supreme Court to hear arguments in a separate case surrounding the use of electronic tabulation systems in elections ahead of the November presidential race.

He has said this case would bring "explosive" evidence" about the 2020 election in his filing that he believes will "shock the world," though the court has not yet said whether it will hear the case.

Update: 5/8/2024, 7:45 a.m. EST: This story was updated with additional information and comment from Lindell.