Newsmax Settles Defamation Lawsuit for $67 Million
Newsmax has agreed to pay $67 million to settle a defamation case involving Dominion Voting Systems. The lawsuit accused Newsmax of spreading false claims about the voting company during discussions about the 2020 presidential election.
This settlement follows a similar case in which Fox News paid $787.5 million earlier this year. Just a few days before, Newsmax had also settled a libel case with another voting company, Smartmatic, for around $40 million.
The judge overseeing the case had earlier ruled that Newsmax did defame Dominion by airing inaccurate information. Dominion’s claims of malice were set to be decided by a jury, but the settlement means they won’t have to go to trial.
Newsmax claimed it was important for viewers to hear multiple sides of the election disputes. A spokesperson for Dominion expressed satisfaction with reaching a resolution.
The settlement was revealed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Meanwhile, former President Trump suggested in a recent social media post that he wants to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines, raising questions about how he could enact such changes.
In related findings, internal communications from Newsmax indicated that staff members were aware the election fraud claims they broadcast were unfounded. A host even questioned how long they would continue to support the idea of widespread election fraud.
The controversy around Dominion intensified when pro-Trump figures peddled claims involving deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, alleging he rigged voting machines to favor Biden. By December 2020, Newsmax retracted some of these more extreme accusations.
Despite claims of fraud, investigations have shown no evidence of widespread issues. Trump’s own Attorney General, William Barr, stated there was no substantial proof of election fraud.
Recent studies have shown that beliefs in election fraud persist, though many Americans acknowledge Biden as the legitimate president. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that around 60% of Republicans believe the 2020 election was not conducted fairly, highlighting ongoing divisions in public perception.
As debates continue on election integrity, the repercussions from the lawsuits against networks like Newsmax and Fox News have put a spotlight on responsible journalism and the importance of factual reporting.
Source link
Joe Biden, General news, Donald Trump, Newsmax, Inc., Hugo Chavez, Eric Davis, William Barr, Lawsuits, Legal proceedings, Denver, Courts, Delaware, Conservatism, National, MD State Wire, Maryland, CO State Wire, AP Top News, Colorado, Politics, Elections, Business, Washington news, Misinformation, Chris Krebs, Conspiracy theories, Bob Sellers, U.S. news, Fox Corp., Sidney Powell, Chris Ruddy, Fraud, U.S. News
