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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 19 april 2023
Fox, Dominion reach $787M settlement over election claims

By DAVID BAUDER, platform to promote that
RANDALL CHASE and false story.” In his March 31
GEOFF MULVIHILL summary judgment ruling,
Associated Press Davis pointedly called out
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — the news organization for
Fox and Dominion Voting airing falsehoods while not-
Systems reached a $787 ing how the bogus election
million settlement Tues- claims persist, 2 1/2 years
day in the voting machine after Trump lost his bid for
company’s defamation reelection.
lawsuit, averting a trial in a “The statements at issue
case that exposed how the were dramatically different
top-rated network chased than the truth,” Davis said
viewers by promoting lies in that ruling.
about the 2020 presidential “In fact, although it cannot
election. be attributed directly to
“The truth matters. Lies Fox’s statements, it is note-
have consequences,” Do- worthy that some Ameri-
minion lawyer Justin Nelson cans still believe the elec-
said in a news conference Attorney’s representing Dominion Voting Systems, leave the New Castle County Courthouse in tion was rigged.”
outside the courthouse af- Wilmington, Del., after the defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News was In its defense, Fox said it
ter a judge announced the settled just as the jury trial was set to begin, Tuesday, April 18, 2023. was obligated to report on
deal. Associated Press the most newsworthy of sto-
Dominion had asked for will end a case that has papers. “It knew the al- ‘crazy’ and ‘ludicrous’ ries — a president claiming
$1.6 billion in arguing proven a major embarrass- legations against Domin- and ‘nuts.’ Yet it used the that he had been cheated
that Fox had damaged ment for Fox News. ion were ‘outlandish’ and power and influence of its out of reelection. q
its reputation by helping If the case had gone to
peddle phony conspiracy trial, it also would have
theories about its equip- presented one of the stern-
ment switching votes from est tests to a libel standard
former President Donald that has protected me-
Trump to Democrat Joe dia organizations for more
Biden. Fox said the amount than half a century.
greatly overstated the val- Several First Amendment
ue of the Colorado-based experts had said Domin-
company. ion’s case was among the
The resolution in Delaware strongest they had ever
Superior Court follows a re- seen.
cent ruling by Judge Eric Still, there was real doubt
Davis in which he allowed about whether Dominion
the case to go to trial while would be able to prove to
emphasizing it was “CRYS- a jury that people in a de-
TAL clear” that none of the cision-making capacity at
allegations about Domin- Fox could be held responsi-
ion aired on Fox by Trump ble for the network’s airing
allies were true. of the falsehoods.
In a statement issued Dominion accused Fox of
shortly after the announce- defaming it by repeatedly
ment, Fox News said the airing, in the weeks after the
network acknowledged 2020 presidential election,
“the court’s rulings finding false allegations by Trump
certain claims about Do- allies that its machines and
minion to be false.” It did the software they used
not respond to an inquiry had flipped votes to Biden
asking for elaboration. even as many at the net-
Inquiries to Dominion and work doubted the claims
Fox Corp. were not imme- and disparaged those who
diately returned. were making them.
Records released as part The company sued both
of the lawsuit showed how Fox News and its parent,
Fox hosts and executives Fox Corp., and said its busi-
did not believe the claims ness had been significantly
by Trump’s allies but aired damaged.
them anyway, in part to During a deposition, Fox
win back viewers who Corp. Chairman Rupert
were fleeing the network Murdoch, who founded
after it correctly called the network, testified that
hotly contested Arizona for he believed the 2020 elec-
Democrat Joe Biden on tion was fair and had not
election night. been stolen from Trump.
The settlement, if formally “Fox knew the truth,” Do-
accepted by the judge, minion argued in court