Don't Worry! There's Another $2.7 Billion Case Against Fox News Coming Soon.

[brooklynite]

Slate

“Thank you, Jesus,” a woman exclaimed inside the courthouse after Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems announced they had reached a $787.5 million settlement in a would-be blockbuster defamation case. Many court watchers and general Fox haters had another reaction: what a letdown.

If you are in the latter camp, fear not: There may soon be another chance to see Fox defend itself in court. Shortly after the settlement announcement, J. Erik Connolly, a lawyer for Smartmatic, issued a statement: “Dominion’s litigation exposed some of the misconduct and damage caused by Fox’s disinformation campaign. Smartmatic will expose the rest.” Sequel!

So what is Smartmatic exactly? Based in London, Smartmatic is another voting-tech company that got wrapped up in Donald’s Trump’s election misinformation campaign and ended up on Fox News. The company is seeking a whopping $2.7 billion in damages from Fox, $1 billion more than Dominion had. The lawsuit specifically names Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro, and Lou Dobbs, though Pirro managed to dodge the suit and was removed because she only indirectly blamed Smartmatic on her show. (Meanwhile, Dobbs’ program was yanked off the air shortly after the suit was filed.)

Fox has repeatedly tried to have the case thrown out, making the same argument that failed in the Dominion case—calling it “baseless” and likening it to a “full-blown assault on the First Amendment.” Unfortunately for Fox but fortunately for everyone who feels robbed today, a New York judge has already allowed the case to move forward, citing in a 61-page ruling Fox’s “reckless disregard for the truth.”

Is the Dominion settlement good news for Smartmatic? Its lawyers sure seem to think so. The chest-thumping statement was out within minutes of the news, and the lawsuit is somewhat swaggering itself, opening with, “The Earth is round. Two plus two equals four. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 election for President and Vice President of the United States.” It cites more than 100 alleged false statements made on the network. At least one analysis said it “appears to be the more dangerous” of the two major defamation suits, though the piece also notes New York has very strong First Amendment protections. (Fox News is also being sued by a former producer for the network who claims Fox tried to get her to lie about Dominion ahead of the trial.)

[Arthur_Frain]

1. Nah. I never wanted the rollercoaster ride.

I bet Smartmatic will settle.

Fox will just keep dangling dollar signs in front of them until they can’t say no.

And Fox news will still be here.

[Major Nikon]

11. Either way they will still be here

The settlement today is still a huge loss for Fox. The thing to remember is even though Murdoch owns a 40% stake, it's still a corporation. Not only does this settlement take money away from their corporation directly, it also will almost certainly affect things like their share price, their ability to obtain insurance and credit, and their long term share price. It also erodes confidence in their network as anything but a propaganda outlet for the GQP.

Certainly Murdoch takes a huge personal loss from this, but the stockholders with the other 60% take a bigger hit and it's going to make it increasingly difficult for him to maintain control.

[Mister Ed]

2. Jesus really, really wanted Dominion to settle.

The Good Lord didn't want it to go to trial. He told me so.

Thank you, Jesus,” a woman exclaimed inside the courthouse after Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems announced they had reached a $787.5 million settlement in a would-be blockbuster defamation case.

[RockRaven]

5. An investor in the private equity firm which owns Dominion? A plaintiffs attorney?

Those people are probably pretty happy with their share of this settlement.

[Chainfire]

8. Obviously Jesus wanted it settled. It settled didn't it?

God moves in mysterious ways...very, very mysterious...

[Phoenix61]

3. I'll add they have time to adjust their strategy to take

full advantage of Murdoch’s position on the Fox board. That info was hidden until just days before the start of the trial, too late for them to make use of it.

[RockRaven]

4. Smartmatic will have a price point at which they take the money and call it good.

A bird in the hand, yada yada.

[Blue Owl]

6. Keep chipping away at the bloated behemoth

[republianmushroom]

7. like it

[Baked Potato]

9. Thank god! Smartmatic lawyers need the money. Nt

[NoMoreRepugs]

10. Constant negative exposure isn't gaining viewers for

FauxSnooze - it’s losing them some of the less than rabid believers I’m sure. That’s a good thing. Plus some advertisers are possibly going to rethink their ad dollars.

[stopdiggin]

12. also some movement (not sure how serious,

but at least being talked about) on the score of getting Fox out of their - almost ubiquitous - position on our military bases and installations.

And blatant lying would seem to be kind of a no-brainer for the button up and straight laced military brand. Right?

[3Hotdogs]

13. Thre points: The lawyers for Smartmatic don't have a say if there is a settlement. Their clients do.

Still, the suits at Fox have to worry about the results of future lies.

and

$787m is a drop in the bucket to Fox. It's probably half the income from adverts from one Super Bowl.

[TexasBushwhacker]

14. Dominion still has lawsuits against OANN, Newsmax and Mike Lindell n/t

[Uncle_Remus]

16. Rudy too

[MustBeTheBooz]

15. Another "we diid nothing wrong" agreement.

No public discovery. No real consequences. That’s how it works in amerikkka.

[HariSeldon]

17. Ha, ha...no

The judge already ruled in summary judgement (that is, taking the evidence from discovery in the light most favorable to the respondent to the summary judgement motion -- Fox News, in this case) that Dominion established three of the four elements of defamation and the only element to be tried by the jury was actual malice. That judgement doesn't go away because of the settlement; it is already part of the public records of the case.