Government

Voting machine providers sue Fox News for defamation over 2020 election coverage

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February 5, 2021

Two voting machine providers — Dominion Voting Systems Inc. and Smartmatic USA Corp. — have separately sued Fox News over statements regarding the roles the companies played during the 2020 presidential election.

Dominion Voting Systems Inc., which provided voting machines in 28 U.S. states, has sued Fox News, as well as Trump lawyers Sidney Powell and Rudy Giulani, for spreading false claims that the company helped to steal the election, and is seeking $2.7 billion, according to an Associated Press report.

Smartmatic USA Corp., which only provided technology for Los Angeles County, California for the 2020 election, has sued Fox News for defamation and disparagement in New York State Court in Manhattan, seeking in excess of $2.7 billion, plus an additional amount for punitive damages, according to a press release.

"Fox is responsible for this disinformation campaign, which has damaged democracy worldwide and irreparably harmed Smartmatic and other stakeholders who contribute to modern elections," Antonio Mugica, Smartmatic CEO, said in the release.

The Smartmatic suit focuses on statements made on Fox News by Powell and Giuliani, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Powell said in an email to The Wall Street Journal that she hadn't been notified about the lawsuit, but that it sounded like a political maneuver motivated by the radical left without basis in fact or law, while Giuliani said, "Discovery will be even better."