Dominion Voting Systems has accused Fox News of defamation, focusing on 20 specific broadcasts and tweets that allegedly spread falsehoods damaging to Dominion's reputation. These statements, made between November 8, 2020, and January 26, 2021, involved Fox hosts like Jeanine Pirro, Lou Dobbs, and Maria Bartiromo, as well as interviews with Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Lindell. Dobbs also tweeted several of these claims.
The allegations fall into four main categories: Dominion's supposed involvement in election fraud, using algorithms to alter votes, connections to Venezuela, and claims that politicians received kickbacks for using Dominion's systems. A judge has already declared these claims false, stating that it's "CRYSTAL clear" none of the statements about Dominion and the 2020 election are true.
The trial will determine if these statements were made with "actual malice," meaning they were knowingly false or showed reckless disregard for the truth. Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages, plus punitive damages, a figure Fox argues is exaggerated. Fox denies any wrongdoing, claiming the lawsuit is an unfounded attack on press freedom.
Here’s a breakdown of the broadcasts and tweets in question:
- On "Sunday Morning Futures" on November 8, 2020, Bartiromo and Powell discussed alleged voting irregularities, with Powell claiming computer glitches flipped votes.
- On "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on November 12, 2020, Giuliani alleged Dominion was a foreign company with ties to Venezuela, suggesting it was designed to fix elections.
- On November 13, 2020, Dobbs and Powell discussed Dominion's supposed creation to alter election results in Venezuela and alleged financial interests of politicians using Dominion systems.
- A tweet by Dobbs on November 14, 2020, echoed Giuliani's claims about Dominion's involvement in election fraud across several states.
- On "Justice with Judge Jeanine" on November 14, 2020, Powell claimed Dominion was part of a criminal conspiracy with national security implications.
- On "Fox & Friends Sunday" on November 15, 2020, Bartiromo mentioned potential kickbacks for officials using Dominion.
- On "Sunday Morning Futures" on November 15, 2020, Powell claimed to have witness testimony about software designed to rig elections.
- On "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on November 16, 2020, Powell alleged Smartmatic was designed to change votes undetected and incorrectly stated it owns Dominion.
- On November 18, 2020, Giuliani and Dobbs discussed alleged foreign involvement in election fraud.
- On November 19, 2020, Powell claimed there was more evidence against Dominion than many imprisoned individuals have against them.
- On "Justice with Judge Jeanine" on November 21, 2020, Pirro repeated claims about Dominion's origins and capabilities.
- On November 24, 2020, Dobbs and Powell discussed ongoing evidence of fraud involving electronic voting.
- On November 30, 2020, Powell described alleged vote manipulation as the most egregious fraud in history.
- On "Hannity" on November 30, 2020, Powell claimed machines transferred votes from Trump to Biden.
- On December 4, 2020, Dobbs discussed algorithms designed to be inaccurate with Phil Waldron.
- A December 10, 2020, tweet by Dobbs described the election as a "cyber Pearl Harbor," embedding a document claiming Dominion machines could alter votes.
- On December 10, 2020, Dobbs offered to present evidence of election fraud on his show.
- Another December 10, 2020, tweet by Dobbs promoted Powell's claims of a cyber-attack involving Dominion.
- On "Fox & Friends" on December 12, 2020, Giuliani claimed Dominion machines were developed to steal elections.
- On "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on January 26, 2021, Lindell claimed to have evidence of election fraud, challenging Dominion to sue him.