Voting Machine Company Smartmatic Files $2.7 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News for Election Disinformation
Smartmatic has announced that it has initiated a lawsuit against Fox Corp., owner of Fox News Network L.L.C., seeking in excess of $2.7 billion. This is due to the constant false narrative that former President Trump and his allies, including Fox News, stating that last year’s presidential election was fixed and the voting machines were rigged for President Joe Biden to win.
Smartmatic is also suing for an additional amount for punitive damages, for defamation and disparagement as a result of the “disinformation campaign against Smartmatic by Fox and other named defendants following the 2020 U.S. presidential election.”
The complaint has been filed in New York State Court in Manhattan.
“One of the biggest challenges in the Information Age is disinformation,” said Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic, in a written statement. “Fox is responsible for this disinformation campaign, which has damaged democracy worldwide and irreparably harmed Smartmatic and other stakeholders who contribute to modern elections.”
The disinformation emerged back in November and December 2020. Fox News broadcasted multiple news reports both stating and implying that the voting machines supplied by Smartmatic had been set up to help rig the 2020 election. They repeated the false claims and accusations on-air and in articles and social media postings that were together seen by millions in the U.S. and even more around the world.
“Fox News engaged in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about Smartmatic. They lied, and they did so knowingly and intentionally. Smartmatic seeks to hold them accountable for those lies,” said Smartmatic’s attorney J. Erik Connolly, Vice-Chair of the Litigation Practice Group at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff L.L.P.
For last year’s United States presidential election, Smartmatic provided the necessary election technology manufacturing, systems integration, software development, and logistics for Los Angeles County, California solely. The company did not provide any products or services to any other states or jurisdictions.