Dominion Voting Systems on Friday sued Fox News for $1.6 billion, claiming the network defamed the company by falsely saying it perpetrated fraud during the 2020 election in order to boost ratings.
The lawsuit, filed in Delaware where both companies are incorporated, said Fox News personalities made false claims that Dominion Voting Systems had rigged the election in favor of President Biden despite officials such as former Attorney General William P. Barr and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger rebutting allegations of fraud.
Dominion Voting Systems told the court that its employees have been harassed since the false claims were broadcast to millions of Fox viewers.
“Truth matters. Lies have consequences. Fox sold a false story of election fraud in order to serve its own commercial purposes, severely injuring Dominion in the process,” read the 443-page court filing.
Fox News defended its reporting. In November, anchor Eric Shawn interviewed Dominion spokesperson Michael Steel, who rebuffed allegations of fraud. The interview was promoted across other shows, according to Fox.
“Fox News Media is proud of our 2020 election coverage, which stands in the highest tradition of American journalism, and will vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit in court,” a spokesperson from Fox News Media said.
Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro are named as anchors in the complaint who falsely accused Dominion Voting Systems of wrongdoing.
The lawsuit said these anchors had guests on their shows, such as Rudolph W. Giuliani, former President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, and pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, who the company also sued for defamation. Those lawsuits are pending in federal court in Washington.
Both Ms. Powell and Mr. Giuliani have denied any wrongdoing, saying their speech is protected by the First Amendment.
Ms. Powell had argued unsuccessfully in federal lawsuits in Georgia, Michigan and Arizona that Dominion Voting Systems had ties to software developed by the late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez in order to “steal” elections.
Her lawsuits alleged the company’s machines could be connected to the internet in violation of election laws. The courts ultimately dismissed her complaints.
Mike Lindell, the founder and CEO of MyPillow, is also named in the Fox News lawsuit, identified as a guest that appeared on Mr. Carlson’s show, which “knowingly broadcast lies about Dominion,” the suit said.
The lengthy complaint said Fox News accurately reported the election results on Election Day, but in order to win back frustrated viewers, the network made Dominion Voting Systems a focus of their coverage following the 2020 election by disregarding the truth and repeating Mr. Trump’s allegation of election fraud.
The lawsuit said these claims led to the Jan. 6 deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Dominion Voting Systems supplied voting machines to nearly two dozen states during the 2020 election.
Smartmatic USA, another company that has ties to Dominion Voting Systems, also sued Fox News last month over election fraud claims for $2.7 billion. Smartmatic software was used in Los Angeles County, according to The Associated Press.
Fox News has filed four motions to dismiss in the lawsuit brought by Smartmatic.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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