Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems have reached settlement in a defamation case

Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems  have reached a $787.5 million settlement in Dominion’s $1.6 billion defamation case against Fox News. The case saw Dominion accuse Fox News of propagating a “manufactured storyline” about voter fraud after the 2020 election, and after a day-long delay, the parties reached a settlement in court. Dominion’s lead counsel, Justin Nelson, announced that Fox News was paying the settlement amount, which he believes “represents vindication and accountability.” Meanwhile, Fox News stated in a press release that it was “pleased to have reached a settlement of our dispute with Dominion Voting Systems” and acknowledged the court’s rulings that certain claims about Dominion were false. The network also mentioned that the settlement is a reflection of its continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards, adding that it hoped that resolving the dispute with Dominion amicably would allow the country to move forward from the issue.

This settlement brings an end to a contentious legal battle that saw the involvement of dozens of lawyers on both sides. Although opening statements had been scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm, Judge Eric Davis left the courtroom, causing a delay that lasted hours. Upon returning to the court, he dismissed the jurors, thanking them for their service, and said the case had been resolved. The attorneys for both parties then thanked the court, and Judge Davis complimented their professionalism throughout the case.

Final jury selection, which was delayed from Monday, took just over an hour, with 12 jurors and 12 alternates chosen from a pool of 58. The jury comprises an even split of men and women, seven black, and five white. During the selection process, an alternate raised his hand and told the court that he couldn’t participate as he had been up all night, and was subsequently dismissed.

Judge Davis informed the jurors and alternates that they could not discuss the case with anyone, consult the internet or social media, or be in the presence of anyone discussing the case. He cautioned them that it would be the hardest thing they had to do, adding that they must not compromise.

What is defamation case against FOX NEWS?

The defamation case against Fox News is a lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, a company that provides election equipment and services. Dominion sued Fox News for $1.6 billion in damages, accusing the cable news network of defaming the company by promoting false claims about its equipment during the 2020 US Presidential election. Dominion argued that Fox News knowingly broadcasted false claims about the company’s equipment being rigged to switch votes from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. These claims were part of a larger effort to cast doubt on the election results and undermine public confidence in the electoral process. Dominion’s lawsuit accused Fox News of damaging the company’s reputation and hurting its business prospects through the false claims.

Former President Donald Trump insisted that the 2020 US presidential election was rigged due to his belief that he lost unfairly. Despite no evidence of widespread fraud, Trump and his allies claimed that there was voter fraud and irregularities in key battleground states, which he alleges led to his defeat. Trump also alleged that mail-in ballots, which were used extensively due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were susceptible to fraud.

However, numerous courts and election officials, including some appointed by Trump himself, rejected these claims, and no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found. The Department of Justice also found no evidence of significant fraud that would have changed the outcome of the election. Despite this, Trump and his supporters continue to promote the false claim that the election was stolen from him.

Source: FOX NEWS, BBC