THREE LITTLE UPDATES: Diamondbacks, Lake PRR, Eastman Disbarment

I'm pinched for time this morning - as you probably are - so here are three quick updates on cases Arizona's Law has been following. (Source documents will be posted later.)

1) Today's emergency hearing on whether Bally Sports can pull the broadcasting plug on the Arizona Diamondbacks games tomorrow has been postponed... by agreement of the parties. This means that fans can continue to watch the baseball games on cable or as they have been while the parties continue negotiations. 

The bankrupt parent of Bally Sports AZ (Diamond Sports) filed an emergency motion last week asking the judge to allow them to pull the plug so that they would not have to make the remaining rights payments for this season and beyond. They said they were losing significant money on the agreement.

2) In one of Kari Lake's (and allies') public records request lawsuits against Maricopa County*, Superior Court Judge John Hannah this week dismissed nearly all of the County defendants, deciding that Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer was the only proper party, as the custodian of the early voting affidavit envelopes Lake seeks.

The judge said at the hearing that he believes there needs to be an opportunity to develop and present evidence regarding the privacy and best interests of the state as grounds for withholding the voters' signatures on the envelopes under the public records law.

Earlier, Judge Hannah agreed to seal the exhibits Lake's attorneys had presented in their Response to the County's Motion to Dismiss. The County moved to seal the Democrat's signatures, in part, to protect Lake and her attorneys from possible prosecution. Lake protested, but the judge sealed it.

* Lake's allies also have a public records suit active against the Secretary of State's Office.

3) California attorney and law professor John Eastman is facing disbarment in that state, in an ongoing proceeding. He defended his right to call former Arizona State Rep. Mark Finchem and current Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers. He wants to call them to discuss their "hearing" with Rudy Giuliani in November 2020 and to explain why Eastman was okay to make the January 6 arguments that he did.

The judge has not yet decided whether to allow them to testify. Lake attorney Kurt Olsen and Lake witness Heather Honey are also included in the witness dispute.