From pillows to politics: Mike Lindell leading election deniers movement

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has changed his public perception from an infomercial staple into one of the leading figures in the election denial movement. Following a meeting in August 2016 with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Lindell was inspired to become a staunch supporter of the future commander-in-chief.

“When I met with Donald Trump, it felt like a divine appointment, and when I walked out of that office I decided I was going to go all in,” said Lindell of the pair’s first meeting.

Their friendly relationship continued throughout Trump’s ensuing presidency, with Lindell attending White House events like an industry roundtable in 2017, a bill signing to address the opioid crisis in 2019 and a coronavirus press conference in 2020.

Lindell’s backing of Trump continued through the conclusion of the 2020 presidential race, after which the MyPillow CEO took up the cause of pushing claims that the election had been stolen. From leading a cyber symposium about voter fraud, to holding a pro-Tump rally on the anniversary of Jan. 6 Capitol riots, Lindell began to lead a movement on election skepticism. 

Now, law enforcement has initiated an investigation into these political activities. On allegations of identity theft and election interference, FBI agents recently boxed in Lindell’s car while he was at a fast food drive-thru and confiscated his cellphone. 

While he has yet to be charged with any crimes, Lindell claims he was not allowed to leave until he turned over the cellphone, and that he was questioned over his involvement with other individuals within the election denial movement. This included Colorado County Clerk Tina Peters, who is currently facing 10 felony and misdemeanor charges related to a voting system security breach. Peters joined Lindell at his 2021 voter fraud cyber symposium and has also appeared on his streaming platform, Frank Speech, to air her legal grievances.

For his part, Lindell has continued to maintain that the 2020 election was stolen, encouraging his followers to file public record requests with elections offices to verify their vote. As a result, offices across the country have been reported receiving requests at a rate never seen previously. 

Democrats have argued that election-deniers need to be held accountable, while Republicans say the recently intensified actions from the FBI against those pushing the theory will motivate voters in the midterms. Either way, it seems clear that Lindell is far from allowing his movement to die.