Arizona Man Sues Fox News for Defamation After Being Named in Conspiracy Theories
Ray Epps, a resident of Arizona and a two-time Trump voter, has filed a lawsuit against Fox News and its former host Tucker Carlson for defamation. Epps claims that Carlson repeatedly and falsely named him as a covert government agent who incited the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
According to the lawsuit, Epps and his wife, Robyn, faced severe consequences after the unfounded accusations were aired on Carlson’s show. They received numerous death threats and were forced to sell their home and business in Arizona and move to a remote trailer park in Utah. Epps also became the target of online harassment, with T-shirts being sold calling for his arrest and songs being recorded about him.
The lawsuit alleges that Fox News used Epps as a scapegoat for the events of January 6, similar to how they focused on voting machine companies when falsely claiming a rigged election. The complaint states that Fox settled on Epps and began promoting the false narrative that he was a federal agent who incited the attack on the Capitol.
This lawsuit adds to the legal complications faced by Fox News, which has been fighting multiple lawsuits related to its coverage of the 2020 election and former President Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud. The network recently settled a defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million.
Epps is seeking unspecified damages in his lawsuit. The conspiracy theories about him have persisted because the Justice Department has not charged him for his actions on January 6. However, the lawsuit claims that the department notified Epps in May that it plans to file criminal charges against him, undermining the notion that he was being protected as a covert agent.
The lawsuit portrays Epps as a loyal Fox viewer who was influenced by the network’s coverage and believed that attending the pro-Trump demonstrations on January 6 was necessary. It accuses Fox News of promoting false stories about Epps and his role in the Capitol riot and demands a retraction and on-air apology.
Fox News has not yet responded to the lawsuit. The network has requested a change of venue to Federal District Court in Wilmington, Delaware.Arizona Man Cited in Conspiracy Theories Sues Fox News for Defamation
Ray Epps, a two-time Trump voter, has filed a lawsuit against Fox News and former host Tucker Carlson for defamation. Epps claims that Carlson repeatedly and falsely named him as a covert government agent who incited the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court in Delaware, accuses Fox News of promoting a “fantastical story” that Epps was an undercover government agent who instigated the violence at the Capitol in order to disparage President Donald J. Trump and his supporters. The complaint also alleges that Fox settled on Epps as a scapegoat for the events of January 6th, just as the network had focused on voting machine companies when falsely claiming a rigged election.
Epps and his wife, Robyn, have faced severe consequences as a result of the unfounded accusations made against him. They have received numerous death threats and were forced to sell their home and business in Arizona and move to a remote trailer park in Utah. Epps has been reduced to a character in a cartoonish conspiracy theory, with online retailers selling T-shirts calling for his arrest and songs about him being posted on YouTube.
The lawsuit comes as Fox News faces multiple legal challenges related to its coverage of the 2020 election and former President Trump’s false claims of election fraud. The network recently agreed to a $787.5 million settlement in a defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems. It is also facing a $2.7 billion suit from Smartmatic and claims from Fox Corporation shareholders. Additionally, a former producer for Tucker Carlson filed a lawsuit alleging a toxic workplace, which was settled for $12 million.
Epps, who served in the Marine Corps, has denied working for law enforcement or having any contact with government agencies. The Justice Department has never charged him for his actions on January 6th, but in May, they notified him of plans to file criminal charges related to his role in the Capitol attack. The lawsuit argues that the filing of criminal charges undermines the notion that Epps was being protected because of his supposed role as a covert agent.
The conspiracy theories about Epps gained traction after a video surfaced showing him encouraging a crowd to enter the Capitol on the night before the attack. However, he is also seen pleading for restraint once the situation turns violent and pushing past a police barricade into a restricted area of the Capitol grounds.
Epps is seeking unspecified damages in his defamation lawsuit against Fox News and Tucker Carlson. His lawyer, Michael Teter, stated that Epps is seeking accountability for the harm caused by Fox’s lies. Fox News has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
How has the false narrative on Fox News impacted the lives of the couple who received death threats and were forced to relocate for safety reasons?
E couple has received numerous death threats and have been forced to sell their home and business in Arizona and move to a remote trailer park in Utah for safety reasons. Epps has also been subject to online harassment, with T-shirts being sold that call for his arrest and songs being written about him.
The lawsuit highlights the impact of Fox News’ false narrative on Epps’ life and argues that the network should be held accountable for the damages caused. It also adds to the legal troubles faced by Fox News, which has been dealing with multiple lawsuits related to its coverage of the 2020 election and allegations of election fraud.
Epps is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit and is demanding a retraction and on-air apology from Fox News. The lawsuit also claims that the Justice Department informed Epps in May that they plan to file criminal charges against him, contradicting the idea that he was being protected as a covert agent.
The lawsuit characterizes Epps as a loyal viewer of Fox News who was influenced by the network’s coverage and believed that attending the pro-Trump demonstrations on January 6th was necessary. It argues that Fox News intentionally spread false stories about Epps and his involvement in the Capitol riot, leading to significant harm to his reputation and well-being.
Fox News has not yet responded to the lawsuit, and the network has requested a change of venue to Federal District Court in Wilmington, Delaware. This legal battle adds to the ongoing scrutiny faced by Fox News and highlights the potential consequences of spreading false information.
It’s about time someone is holding Fox News accountable for their irresponsible reporting. Spreading false conspiracy theories undermines trust in our media and damages individuals’ reputations. Bravo to this Arizona man for taking a stand against misinformation.