Smartmatic’s multi-billion-dollar defamation lawsuit against Fox News, and the counterclaim by the latter, asserting that the voting technology company Smartmatic is suppressing free speech, will reach its logical conclusion in a court of law. To understand the details of the entire episode and why Smartmatic is suing Fox News for billions of dollars, continue reading this article. This news is significant as it involves the two candidates of the forthcoming U.S. Presidential elections, namely Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Smartmatic’s $2.7 Billion Lawsuit Against Fox News
Smartmatic, a voting technology company, has sued Fox News for disseminating unsubstantiated news that the voting company had helped rig the 2020 elections against the then U.S. President Donald Trump.
In response, Fox News has denied all allegations and filed a counter-suit under a New York law designed to prevent baseless litigation aimed at silencing reporting or criticism on public issues. The law is known as SLAPP in legal circles, standing for “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.”
Smartmatic filed the lawsuit almost three years ago, similar to the one filed by Dominion Voting Systems, which was settled by Fox for $787 million last year. Fox News did not issue an apology but did acknowledge that some claims against Dominion were untrue.
After the lawsuits, both parties attempted to have the other’s claims dismissed. However, judges disagreed, allowing Smartmatic to present its case. Trial Judge David B. Cohen permitted Fox News to present its viewpoint in its lawsuit.
Fox News contends that the $2.7 billion claim is highly inflated and aimed at stifling the network’s voice. Smartmatic, in response, stated that its technology and software were used only in California’s Los Angeles County during the 2020 Presidential elections.
Following Election Day 2020, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, Trump’s lawyers, accused Smartmatic on Fox News as part of an attempt to rig the elections and as part of a broader criminal conspiracy.
Despite exhaustive investigations by federal and state election officials and Trump’s legal team, no evidence of electoral malpractices was found. Trump’s allegations of electoral fraud also failed to gain traction in any court of law and were roundly rejected.
In a previous legal dispute between Fox News and Dominion in March 2023, the court categorically rejected all claims made by Trump and his allies on Fox News. Fox News had to acknowledge that some claims against Dominion on the channel were false.
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