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Breaking News: Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems have reached a last-minute settlement in the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, averting a highly anticipated trial scheduled to begin Monday in Delaware Superior Court. The agreement, announced Monday afternoon, brings an end to a case that threatened to expose internal communications and practices at one of the nation’s most influential media organizations.
What this means: the settlement effectively concludes the case and prevents key Fox News executives and on-air personalities, including Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, and hosts such as Maria Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro, and Lou Dobbs, from being compelled to testify about their role in broadcasting false claims of widespread voter fraud following the 2020 presidential election.
The Core of the Dispute: Dominion alleged that Fox News deliberately amplified false narratives propagated by Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, attorneys associated with then-President Donald Trump, to boost ratings after the 2020 election. These claims centered around allegations that Dominion voting machines were used to manipulate the election results in favor of Joe Biden.Dominion’s lawsuit argued that these broadcasts damaged its reputation and future business prospects.
Dominion sought $1.6 billion in damages, arguing that the falsehoods led to notable financial harm. Fox News countered that the figure was excessive and did not accurately reflect the actual losses suffered by Dominion.Pretrial documents revealed internal Fox News communications expressing skepticism about the claims being broadcast, even as the network continued to air them.
Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corporation, maintained that their coverage was protected by the First Amendment and did not constitute defamation. They argued that the lawsuit was an attempt to stifle free speech and that they were simply reporting on newsworthy allegations made by prominent figures. they also denied Dominion’s assertion that ratings were the primary motivation for promoting the election conspiracy theories.
Looking Ahead: While the Dominion lawsuit has been resolved, Fox News still faces a separate defamation suit filed by Smartmatic, another voting technology company. Smartmatic alleges similar damages resulting from false claims broadcast
