If you've been anywhere near social media the past couple weeks you no doubt heard conspiracy theorist and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell recently had his phone seized by the feds in the parking lot of a Hardee's restaurant.
It's the kind of story so absurd it couldn't possibly be true, but it turns out it is. The FBI snatched Lindell's phone as part of its investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, in which Lindell, as one of Trump's right-hand men, is heavily implicated.
Lindell had filed a complaint for a temporary restraining order following the seizure of his phone, saying that it negatively impacted both his business and his health, as his hearing aids are connected to his phone.
His complaint was essentially identical to Donald Trump's in regards to the documents seized at Mar-a-Lago—demanding that his phone be returned and that a "special master" be retained to review its contents instead of the FBI.
But District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud ruled just hours after Lindell's finding that giving him his phone back was a no-can-do, partly on the basis of the 11th Circuit Court's decision earlier this week to reverse the previous ruling on Trump's motion and allow the FBI to use the Mar-a-Lago documents in its ongoing criminal investigation against him.
That decision was made by three judges, two of whom were appointed by Trump, showing just how absurd his motion was. Judge Tostrud seems to have decided that if Trump's motion was ridiculous, so was Lindell's.
In short, no "special master" for Trump and his documents, no "special master" for Lindell and his phone seized at a Hardee's drive-thru.
Naturally, this hilarious turn of events had people on Twitter pointing and laughing.
The FBI is currently investigating several schemes that attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Lindell has reportedly spent some $25 million pushing election conspiracy theories claiming Trump actually won.
And now, with this court decision, they'll have access to the phone that just might prove it.
@thekalenallen/Threads
U.S. Mint
