Nevada election-fraud crusader drops US lawsuit under threat of sanctions; presses on in state court
Associated PressRENO, Nev. — An election-fraud crusader in Nevada withdrew his latest federal lawsuit in an ongoing feud with county officials in Reno after their lawyers threatened to seek sanctions for filing a baseless complaint laced with “rantings of a conspiracy theorist.” But Robert Beadles, a wealthy ex-California businessman and right-wing activist who has embraced many Republicans’ disproven claims of election fraud, is vowing to continue his legal battle in state court. Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks said in the letter to Beadles Tuesday provided to The Associated Press late Thursday that his lawsuit subjects him to sanctions because the sole purpose is to “harass and engage government entities and officials in costly frivolous litigation.” Hicks attached a draft copy of a motion he said they’d file unless he withdrew it. It said that since moving to Reno, Beadles has “engaged in a scheme to disrupt local and state government operations.” Beadles’ lawsuit “contains various baseless and delusory allegations disjointed from any viable legal claim,” Deputy District Attorney Lindsay Liddell wrote in the draft motion. She described it as “inaccurate rantings of a conspiracy theorist disconnected from any legitimate claim.” Beadles said in an email to AP Thursday night he never requested his case be moved to federal court so he filed notice of a voluntary dismissal on Aug. 9 — a day after he was threatened with the sanctions — and filed the new lawsuit in Washoe County District Court on Aug. 10.