Some on-air claims about Dominion Voting Systems were false, Fox News acknowledges in statement after deal is announced

Fox News recently admitted that some of the on-air claims they made about Dominion Voting Systems were false, according to a statement issued following the announcement of a deal between the two parties. The acknowledgment comes after months of legal disputes and controversies surrounding the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.

Fox News, the conservative-leaning cable news network, had been facing a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems. Dominion, a Canadian company that supplies voting technology, alleged that Fox News aired false and damaging claims about the company’s role in the 2020 election. These allegations centered on the unfounded theory that Dominion rigged the election in favor of President Joe Biden.

The statement from Fox News acknowledged, “Some of the on-air claims about Dominion Voting Systems were, in fact, false.” While the network did not specify which claims were incorrect, it was a notable admission from a network that had amplified the baseless theory that the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.

The admission comes after Fox News reached a deal with Dominion Voting Systems, the terms of which have not been disclosed. The resolution of this dispute is crucial for Fox News, which has been grappling with the fallout from its sensationalized coverage of the 2020 election. The network has been sued not just by Dominion, but also by Smartmatic, another voting technology company, for $2.7 billion in a similar defamation case.

“For months, Fox News broadcast false and damaging claims about Dominion Voting Systems, which eroded public trust in our democratic process,” said John Poulos, Dominion’s CEO, in a statement. “We are pleased that Fox News has finally acknowledged the falsity of its on-air claims about Dominion.”

Fox News’ admission is a significant development in the ongoing controversy over the 2020 election, which former President Trump and his allies continue to claim, without evidence, was fraudulent. It also underscores the potential legal and financial risks that news organizations face when they amplify or spread false information.

Dominion has been at the center of many unfounded conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The company, which provides voting systems to 28 states, came under scrutiny after President Trump and his allies claimed, with no evidence, that it had switched votes to Biden.

In response to these allegations, Dominion filed lawsuits against Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and lawyer Sidney Powell, who were leading the charge in spreading these baseless claims. Both Giuliani and Powell have also faced defamation lawsuits from the company for their role in spreading the conspiracy theories.

Fox News’ acknowledgment of false claims about Dominion Voting Systems is a major development in the post-2020 election landscape. It illustrates the risks and consequences that can arise from disseminating unverified and potentially damaging information, especially in the politically charged climate of a presidential election.

The acknowledgement from Fox News could potentially open the floodgates for further legal action from other entities that feel they have been defamed by the network. It also sends a clear message to other media outlets about the importance of fact-checking and the potential legal ramifications of spreading misinformation.

While this development marks a significant moment in the fallout from the 2020 election, it remains to be seen how it will impact Fox News’ reputation and viewership. As the network moves forward, it will undoubtedly be under intense scrutiny, both for its past actions and for its future coverage of political events.