In just a few weeks, lawsuits and legal threats from a pair of obscure election technology companies have achieved what years of advertising boycotts, public pressure campaigns and liberal outrage could not: curbing the flow of misinformation in right-wing media. Fox Business canceled its highest rated show, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” on Friday after its host was sued as part of a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit. On Tuesday, the pro-Trump cable.
| Updated February 4, 2021
Electronic voting system company Smartmatic has filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News’ owner, Fox News Corporation, accusing the company of repeatedly and falsely reporting that Smartmatic rigged the 2020 election.
In addition to Fox News Corporation, the suit, which was filed Thursday in New York State Court in Manhattan, specifically names Fox personalities Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs and Jeanine Pirro. Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and attorney Sidney Powell, to whom Fox News granted extensive airtime, are also defendants.
Smartmatic alleges that Fox News “saw an opportunity to capitalize on President Trump’s popularity” after his 2020 election loss, and that it did not report on the “demonstrable and irrefutable” truth that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ victory “was not stolen, rigged, or fixed.” Instead, the suit says, the network and its on-air personalities made a “villain” out of Smartmati
On Thursday, Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News alleging that the conservative media outlet âjoined the conspiracy to defame and disparage Smartmatic and its election technology and software.â The company, which makes voting machines and software, further asserted â dramatically, we might add â that âthe story turned neighbor against neighborâ and âled a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol.â
Smartmaticâs suit identifies two Fox News guests, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, as well as some of the outletâs opinion anchors â Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, and Jeanine Pirro â for spreading false and damaging information regarding the companyâs voting machines and software. Smartmatic noted that its technology was only used in one county, Los Angeles County, during the 2020 general election.