Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems Settle as Trial Gets Underway

The highly anticipated trial involving Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News began with the selection of a 12-person jury, including six men and six women, with alternates. Dominion is suing Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corporation, for $1.6 billion for broadcasting claims that the electronic voting company helped rig the 2020 presidential election against former President Donald Trump. Dominion is alleging that the claims were baseless, defamatory, and known to be false by Fox News. The trial is testing the limits of the First Amendment and focusing on the lies spread by Trump and his allies about the election.

This article takes an in-depth look at the trial, including the arguments of both sides and the key issues that the jury will have to consider. One key issue is whether Fox News acted with actual malice, which would require Dominion to prove that the network knew the claims were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. If Dominion succeeds in proving this, the jury will then decide how much in damages they believe the company is entitled to.

The article also explores the role of Fox News in spreading the false claims, including the 20 statements cited by Dominion as defamatory. The statements were made by conservative lawyers Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani and aired on shows hosted by Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro, Tucker Carlson, and Sean Hannity or on Twitter. Dominion is arguing that Fox News spread lies causing enormous damage to the company, and the trial will focus on proving this point.

The article also looks at the arguments of Fox News, which is claiming that the claims involving Dominion were newsworthy and protected by the First Amendment. Fox News alleges that the lawsuit is a political crusade in search of a financial windfall and that a verdict for Dominion and its private equity owners would have grave consequences for the entire journalism profession.

The article also examines the role of internal text messages and emails exchanged by Fox's hosts, producers, and executives, many of which showed they had doubts about the veracity of the allegations being spread by Trump and his allies. Finally, the article looks at the special master appointed by Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis to investigate whether Fox withheld evidence during the discovery process, as Dominion alleged during a pre-trial conference.

Overall, the article provides an in-depth analysis of the high-stakes defamation trial, including the arguments of both sides, the key issues, and the implications of the case for the First Amendment and the journalism profession. Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reached a settlement just as the trial was getting underway. In a statement released on the 30th of September, 2022, both companies announced that they had reached a "resolution of their respective claims" against each other. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

This brings an end to a high-profile legal battle that lasted for almost two years, with Dominion seeking $1.6 billion in damages from Fox News for airing false accusations about the company. Dominion accused Fox of airing baseless accusations that the company had helped to rig the 2020 presidential election against Donald Trump.

The trial had begun in Delaware state court on the 19th of April, 2022, with Dominion pressing its claims before a jury that Fox News had aired baseless accusations about the company that the network knew were false. The case tested the bounds of the First Amendment while highlighting unfounded allegations amplified by a former president and his allies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Subscribe for more content like this.

Dominion had pointed to 20 statements, many made by conservative lawyers Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, aired on shows hosted by Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro, Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, or on Twitter, that they argued were defamatory. Dominion's lawyers had to convince the jury that Fox News acted with actual malice, the legal standard that requires a public figure to prove the publisher knew the offending statements were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

If Dominion had succeeded in clearing that high bar, the jury would have then decided how much in damages they believed the company was entitled to. However, with the settlement, the case has now been dropped, and both companies have released statements expressing their satisfaction with the outcome.

"We are pleased to have reached a resolution of our respective claims against each other," Dominion said in a statement. "Dominion remains committed to the truth and transparency of the electoral process and will continue to defend itself against malicious and unfounded allegations."

Fox News also released a statement, saying: "We are pleased to put this litigation behind us and look forward to continuing to cover important issues and events in our nation and around the world."

The settlement has come as a surprise to many, as it was widely expected that the case would go to trial, given the high stakes involved. The case had already brought into the public view reams of internal text messages and emails exchanged by Fox's hosts, producers, and executives, many of which showed they had doubts about the veracity of the allegations being spread by Trump and his allies.

The case had also highlighted the growing trend of media outlets spreading false information and conspiracy theories, and the role they can play in undermining public trust in democratic institutions. It remains to be seen whether this settlement will have any impact on the behavior of media outlets in the future, but it serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible journalism and the need to hold media outlets accountable for the information they disseminate. However, the fact that the case was settled before it went to trial suggests that both parties may have had something to gain from avoiding a potentially protracted legal battle. For Dominion, a victory in court could have been seen as a vindication of its reputation, but it would not necessarily have led to a significant financial payout. For Fox News, a loss in court could have been a significant blow to its credibility and could have resulted in a substantial damages award.

The settlement may also have been influenced by broader considerations, such as the ongoing scrutiny of media outlets by regulators and the public. The case had already generated negative publicity for Fox News, and a protracted legal battle could have further eroded public trust in the network.

Ultimately, the settlement between Fox News and Dominion is a reminder of the importance of responsible journalism and the need for media outlets to be held accountable for the information they disseminate. It remains to be seen whether this case will have a lasting impact on the behavior of media outlets in the future, but it serves as a cautionary tale of the potential harm that can result from spreading false information and conspiracy theories. Thanks for watching, subscribe our channel for authenticity.