Washington CNN —Jury selection is set to begin Thursday in a closely watched defamation trial pitting voting technology company Smartmatic against the right-wing cable network Newsmax, in a high-stakes case over the airing of false 2020 election claims.
The Newsmax case revolves around the same false claims, championed by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, that the 2020 election was rigged by Smartmatic software and others.
The Florida-based company sued Newsmax and other right-wing outlets and figures in 2021, alleging that its reputation was destroyed by the lies.
The Newsmax case will test the legal limits of publishing lies about the 2020 election, and the trial will play out during the final stretch of the 2024 campaign.
‘Dozens’ of defamatory reportsAfter mainstream news outlets – and even Fox News – projected that Democratic nominee Joe Biden would win the 2020 election, Trump and his surrogates falsely claimed that he won.
Persons:
Donald Trump, Newsmax, “, ”, ” Howard Cooper, Eric Davis, Davis, it’s, Katie Townsend, Smartmatic, Joe Biden, Trump, Chris Ruddy, Biden, wasn’t, Sidney Powell, ” Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Silbiger, Greg Kelly, Powell, Chris Salcedo, Smartmatic “, John Bachman, Smartmatic’s, Bachman, Liz Harrington, Ruddy, Kelly, Salcedo, Eric Robinson, ” Newsmax, Bill Daddi, ” Smartmatic’s, Erik Connolly, “ …, Bob Sellers, Emerald Robinson
Organizations:
Washington CNN, Delaware Superior Court, Fox News, Voting Systems, Republican, Trump, Freedom, Press, Fox, Democratic, The Washington Post, Republican National Committee, ”, Newsmax, University of South, Electoral College ”
Locations:
Delaware Superior, The Florida, Wilmington , Delaware, New York, Los Angeles County, University of South Carolina, Philippines, Venezuela