Fox Acknowledges Falsehoods About 2020 Election in Settlement
Fox Corporation and Fox News have agreed to a historic settlement of $787.5 million with Dominion Voting Systems, resolving a defamation lawsuit just before it was set to go to trial. The settlement is the largest ever for a defamation case, surpassing the previous record of $177 million.
Settlement Details
The lawsuit, filed by Dominion in 2021, originally sought $1.6 billion in damages. Dominion alleged that Fox News aired false claims that the company’s ballot-counting machines were used to manipulate the 2020 U.S. election results in favor of Joe Biden over Donald Trump. These claims, according to Dominion, caused “enormous and irreparable economic harm” to the company.
Statements from Dominion
Dominion CEO John Poulos:
“Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion that caused enormous damage to my company, our employees, and the customers that we serve.”
Dominion attorney Justin Nelson:
“The truth matters. Lies have consequences. … today’s settlement of $787 million represents … accountability…Today represents a ringing endorsement of truth and democracy”.
Dominion attorney Stephen Shackleford:
“Money is accountability and we got that today from Fox.”
Potential Consequences
The settlement spares Fox from the potential embarrassment of having some of its most prominent figures, including Rupert Murdoch, Suzanne Scott, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Jeanine Pirro, called to the witness stand for questioning. Fox argued that its coverage of the vote-rigging claims was newsworthy and protected by the First Amendment’s guarantee of press freedom.
Smartmatic Lawsuit
This settlement follows a ruling by a Delaware judge that Fox cannot rely on free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution for its defense. The case highlights the legal risks media organizations face when airing unverified claims.
For more information, read the full article on CBC News.
