US television network Newsmax has agreed to pay $67 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems. The lawsuit, filed in 2021, accused Newsmax of disseminating false claims that Dominion rigged the 2020 US presidential election against then-President Donald Trump, leading to significant economic damage for the company.
Dominion sought $1.6 billion in damages, but expressed satisfaction with the settlement. The company indicated that it filed lawsuits against several media entities following the election, alleging similar misconduct.
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis had previously ruled that Newsmax had defamed Dominion, although the jury was tasked with determining whether Newsmax acted with malice and the amount of damages. A trial was scheduled to begin in October. Newsmax opted for a settlement, arguing that the judicial process had been biased against them. The network stated, “From the very beginning, Judge Davis ruled in ways that strongly favored the plaintiffs and limited Newsmax’s ability to defend itself,” claiming it faced a “pattern of judicial rulings” that compromised its right to a fair trial.
The Delaware Superior Court declined to comment on the case. Newsmax maintained its position on the 2020 election coverage, asserting the necessity of presenting diverse perspectives on election-related disputes.
Additionally, Newsmax settled a different defamation lawsuit for $40 million with Smartmatic, another voting machine manufacturer, the previous year. In related litigation, Fox News agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion over similar allegations of false claims regarding the election.
Following the announcement of the settlement, Newsmax shares rose approximately 15% on the New York Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, former President Trump reiterated his intent to reform voting processes, specifically mentioning a desire to eliminate mail-in ballots and calling some voting machines “controversial,” though he did not specify which companies were involved.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgend9yreeo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss