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March 28, 2024

On Tuesday, Fox News hastily agreed to pay $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems — the largest ever settlement in a defamation case — just hours after the jury was selected. In addition to the huge financial settlement, Fox also admitted that “certain statements” it made about Dominion were wrong.

In reaching a settlement with Dominion, the network avoided the embarrassment that could come from a trial that could expose its inner workings. Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch, 92, and Fox host Tucker Carlson are potential witnesses.

Dominion sued the cable news network two years ago for running a false story claiming Dominion’s voting machines were vulnerable to hacking and cast votes for Joseph R. Biden Jr. Jr.).

But the settlement with Dominion isn’t the only legal action some news outlets are facing after making false claims about the 2020 election.

In 2021, right-wing news outlet Newsmax formally apologized for spreading false allegations that a Dominion employee manipulated voting machines. Newsmax said in a statement on its website that it found “no evidence” that Dominion employee Eric Cuomo manipulated voting machines to derail Mr. Trump’s re-election campaign.

“On behalf of Newsmax, we apologize for any harm that our coverage of Dr. Cuomo’s allegations may have caused Dr. Cuomo and his family,” the statement said.

Dominion also sued MyPillow CEO and outspoken supporter of the former president, Mike Lindell, and two of Mr. Trump’s lawyers, Sidney Powell and Rudy W. Giuliani, alleging they baselessly accused the election fraud. In 2021, a federal judge Refuse to drop the lawsuit against them. And in October, Supreme Court refuses to consider Mr Lindell’s application to avoid litigation. This month, he told the New York Times, “I will never back down, ever, ever, ever.” This litigation In progress.

In 2021, Fox News was also sued by Smartmatic, which provided voting technology for the 2020 election in Los Angeles County. Smartmatic wrote in its complaint that “Fox joined a conspiracy to defame and discredit Smartmatic and its election technology and software,” adding that “this story led to a mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.” The lawsuit was filed in New York State Supreme Court Filed, demanding at least $2.7 billion in damages.

In February, a New York appeals court rejected Fox’s request to dismiss the case, and a New York judge last month said the case could continue. A trial date has not yet been set.

Smartmatic also filed a defamation lawsuit against Newsmax, accusing it of spreading false information about the company. Judge Eric M. Davis will also preside in the Fox-Dominion case. FebruaryNewsletter lost its bid Closing the proceedings, Judge Davis let the case go ahead.

In 2021, Smartmatic also sued One America News Network, accusing the news organization of spreading disinformation about the 2020 election after the company warned it to stop. june, judge deny request arrive Dismiss the lawsuit.

This month — days before jury selection in the Dominion case began — Fox News and former longtime Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, a loyal Trump supporter, settled a defamation case with Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil. Mr. Dobbs and Ms. Powell, regulars on Fox News, lied on air and in related Twitter posts that Mr. Khalil was involved in a vote-flipping conspiracy. One tweet said he was the “effective ‘COO’ of the election program.” Fox canceled Mr. Dobbs’ show in February 2021.



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