One of the most anticipated trials of 2023 never happened. Today, Fox News agreed to settle with Dominion Voting Systems by paying a jaw dropping $787.5 million dollars for defamation.
After the 2020 presidential election, some supporters of former President Trump alleged that Dominion Voting Systems had rigged the election in favor of Joe Biden. These allegations were fueled by a number of conspiracy theories that circulated on social media and in conservative media outlets.
But wasn’t there evidence?
Nope.
Just conspiracy theories pushed by Fox News and pals. In fact, multiple independent audits and recounts have confirmed the accuracy of the election results in the states that used Dominion Voting Systems technology.
But Dominion had ties to donations to leading democratic candidates, right? And they switched the votes for Trump to Biden votes, right?
Again, no evidence of such. Dominion, which was founded in 2003, has supported candidates on the both sides of aisle.
But at Fox News, they really believed this. So isn’t this just free speech?
Once again, no. And discovery demonstrated that no one at Fox News was drinking the Kool Aid – they were just serving it. In fact, some internal text messages from Fox employees indicated that not only did they not believe the election was rigged, they were not fans of Donald Trump.
“By settling, influential Fox News executives and prominent on-air personalities will be spared from testifying about their 2020 election coverage, which was filled with lies about voter fraud.” -CNN
So, Biden really did win the election?
Yes.
Additionally, despite the lack of evidence to support the allegations of election rigging, Dominion Voting Systems has faced a barrage of lawsuits and other legal challenges from supporters of former President Trump. In response, the company has had to file multiple defamation lawsuits against individuals and media outlets spreading false claims about the company and its role in the election, which is both costly and burdensome.
“Dominion still has pending lawsuits against right-wing networks Newsmax and OAN, as well as against Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Mike Lindell.” CNN
What exactly is a legal settlement?
Legal settlements are agreements between parties involved in a dispute, which can be either civil or criminal. They are a way to avoid a trial or to end an ongoing legal battle. Settlements can be reached before or after a lawsuit has been filed, and can involve monetary compensation, changes in behavior, or other forms of resolution.
Why settle?
Settlements are often preferred over going to trial because they can be less costly and time-consuming, and they can provide more control over the outcome of the dispute. However, settlements may not always be the best option for all parties involved. Additionally, settlements are typically confidential, so the details of the dispute and the settlement may not be made public.
There are several types of legal settlements, including:
Civil Settlements: These are agreements between two parties involved in a civil lawsuit, such as a personal injury case or a breach of contract dispute. The settlement may involve the payment of money, a change in behavior or the transfer of assets.
Criminal Settlements: These are agreements between a defendant and the government in a criminal case. Criminal settlements may involve the payment of fines, restitution or community service. The defendant may also be required to plead guilty to a lesser charge or to cooperate with the prosecution.
Class Action Settlements: These are agreements reached in a lawsuit involving a group of people with similar claims against the same defendant. The settlement may involve monetary compensation, changes in behavior, or other forms of relief.
Source
Settlement reached in Dominion defamation lawsuit against Fox News
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