'Designed to sow more disinformation': MyPillow CEO expands TV network despite $1B lawsuit

Mike Lindell – arguably known as much for spreading 2020 election conspiracy theories as he is for his pillow company — is doubling down on the expansion of his eponymous television network, Lindell TV.

According to The Guardian, Lindell is plowing ahead with Lindell TV, undeterred by the ongoing defamation lawsuit filed by voting machine company Dominion Voting Systems, which is seeking $1 billion in damages. He's since hired former Fox News host Lou Dobbs (who was fired after being named as a defendant in voting machine company Smartmatic's $2.7 billion lawsuit) and given him a primetime slot. Both former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and far-right operative Roger Stone also have shows on Lindell TV, along with Lindell himself.

Paul Pelletier, who is the former acting head of the DOJ's fraud division, referred to Lindell TV's lineup as "a Star Wars bar of Trump sycophants" and said the network was "clearly designed to sow more disinformation about the credibility of American elections."

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to hold office again?

Former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pennsylvania) shared Pelletier's view, telling The Guardian that "Lindell is setting himself up to participate in the next round of election disinformation and conspiracy theories."

"After all the trouble the guy got into in the last election cycle, you’d think he’d stay out of these political landmines pushing conspiracy theories about rigged election machines," Dent said.

Lindell's legal troubles have been getting worse over the past three years. Ever since Dominion's lawsuit against him, he's been increasingly viewed as a pariah not just by conservative media hesitant to give him airtime lest they get roped into legal trouble, but also by retailers not wanting to tarnish their brands by associating with Lindell's MyPillow brand. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported last year that MyPillow was forced to auction off manufacturing equipment to cover costs after an estimated $100 million loss in projected sales.

The MyPillow CEO also made headlines last year after admitting he was effectively out of money, and was unable to pay the millions of dollars in legal costs he's incurred since first being sued. However, he has remained obstinate in his refusal to settle with Dominion, telling The Guardian he wouldn't settle "in a million years."

READ MORE: MyPillow huckster Mike Lindell's defense plan? Binge-watch 'suits'