The conflicting parties have reached an agreement in the defamation dispute between the right-wing US news channel Fox News and the voting machine company Dominion. This was announced by the responsible judge in Wilmington in the US state of Delaware, where the trial was supposed to begin today.
Dominion has sued Fox News for $1.6 billion in damages over false allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. The company accuses the broadcaster of having spread the false claim that Dominion voting machines were used to manipulate the 2020 presidential election – even though Fox News officials and moderators knew full well that the allegations were unfounded. Fox News is now said to be paying $787.5 million, the equivalent of around €719 million.
No more process
Fox News, on the other hand, claims that the broadcaster only reported on the allegations made by then-President Donald Trump and his then lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, without making them their own. The broadcaster relies on the first US constitutional amendment, which protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
The Delaware civil trial was scheduled to begin today with opening statements from attorneys for both sides after the jury was swore in. Judge Eric Davis then announced the agreement, the contents of which were not initially known. There will be no process with this. Trump, who wants to run again in the 2024 presidential election, still speaks of alleged fraud in the 2020 election.
