In March 2021, Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox Network for perpetuating claims that its machines that were used in the 2020 present elections, where Trump lost to Biden, were rigged. The Colorado company has sued Fox as well as several right-wing news outlets including OAN and Newsmax. Celebrity hosts and anchors Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Jeanine Pirro and Lou Dobbs from the Fox Network have been deposed or will be deposed today. Dominion’s lawsuit claims that right wing networks damaged their reputation.
Although Hannity, Carlson, Pirro and Dobbs have not been individually sued or named as defendants, Fox Network has been sued for $1.6 billion as they damaged the reputation of Dominion. Celebrity hosts Tucker Carlson and Jeanine Pirro had been deposed last week. Lou Dobbs was deposed on August 30 and Sean Hannity will be deposed on August 31.
Dominion’s lawyers claim that Fox’s celebrity hosts had earlier expressed doubts about Trump’s election claims. They had reportedly criticized his refusal to accept the results of the presidential election. According to them, these views turned away Trump supporters from their shows and the Fox Network.
The legal team at Dominion said that a U-Turn was taken and the focus of the coverage perpetuating fraud was made and show hosts became sympathetic as they covered claims that alleged rigging. Lawyers such as Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, who put forth the election fraud claim, were repeatedly interviewed or shown on the network. These two lawyers have also been sued, independently, along with Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow.
The Colorado-based company said that they have proof in the form of emails and texts that the hosts were aware that the claims were not true and discussed them off-air. However, Fox Network claims that the emails and texts were taken out of context, by Dominion.
Fox News has said that the network would prevail as freedom of the press was the foundation of American democracy. The celebrity stars and the network say that they are protected by the First Amendment. They have also hired a renowned trial lawyer Dan Webb, to fight their case. Th case is expected to go on trial in April 2023.
Dominion sues MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell for $1.3 billion
