MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Mike Lindell wants to work with the RNC to set up an “election crimes unit.”
Lindell said he plans to fly to “at least three states” this week to talk about the idea.
Lindell on Friday suffered a stinging defeat in his race for RNC chair, getting only four votes.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell says he wants to work with the Republican National Committee to set up an “election crime unit.”
“Later in the week, we’re setting up the election crime unit, Steve. So everybody, stay tuned. It’s going to be big,” Lindell said on fellow Trump ally Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast on Monday.
Lindell told Bannon he has a “plan” for the election crime unit that involves him “going to states” and trying to organize support for the idea.
“And I’m going to be going to states, Steve. I’m not missing a beat. Starting this week, I’m going to be flying into at least three states,” the pillow CEO said.
—Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) January 30, 2023
Lindell is fresh off a stinging defeat in his run to lead the RNC.
After claiming earlier this month that he had enough votes to derail RNC chair Ronna McDaniel’s leadership bid, Lindell ended up getting only four votes. McDaniel on Friday clinched her fourth term as chair, with 111 votes.
But Lindell told Bannon he is still working to “hold the RNC accountable.”
“Well, when you work with me, it’s election crime, not a weak word like election integrity. It’s called the election crime,” Lindell said.
It’s unclear what Lindell’s proposed election crime unit would do. It’s also unclear if the RNC has agreed to setting up the unit or working with Lindell on it. Lindell and representatives for the RNC did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment sent outside regular business hours.
Lindell is best known for pushing baseless voter-fraud claims about the 2020 election. In December 2021, he told Insider he spent $25 million — half of his estimated $50 million net worth — on promoting his claims that the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.
In April, Lindell told Insider he is bankrolling a nationwide effort to file lawsuits in all 50 states in an effort to stop voting machines from being used in elections. That month, Lindell told Insider he helped fund the Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Rep. Mark Finchem’s lawsuit in Arizona. This lawsuit was filed against Kathleen Hobbs, Arizona’s Secretary of State, and members of the Maricopa and Pima County boards of supervisors. It called for Arizona authorities to halt the use of any electronic voting system. Lake and Finchem’s lawsuit failed: In December, the case was dismissed by district judge John Tuchi, who called it a “frivolous complaint.”
Lindell is currently facing a $1.3 billion dollar defamation lawsuit from voting technology company Dominion. Dominion is accusing the pillow CEO and his allies of spreading false claims about its role in the 2020 election. Lindell tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, but that attempt failed in March.