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☆ Fox News pushes Dominion to settle mammoth defamation lawsuit as judge delays trial, multiple sources report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Fox is pushing Dominion to settle its $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, WSJ and Reuters report. Fox made a last-minute attempt to settle the case out of court, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation. A spokesperson for Fox Corp., the parent company of Fox News, declined to comment to Insider on the record. Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch and Chairman Rupert Murdoch. Adrian Edwards/GC ImagesIn his own messages and depositions, Fox Corp.

☆ Dominion defamation trial against Fox to proceed Tuesday after delay
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Helen Coster | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Dominion sued Fox Corp and Fox News. Rupert Murdoch, the chair of Fox Corp, is set to testify during the trial, along with a parade of Fox executives and on-air hosts, including Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro. Fox's filing cited a Friday email from a Dominion lawyer saying that Dominion would not pursue its lost profit claim at the trial. Davis on Wednesday sanctioned Fox News, handing Dominion a fresh chance to gather evidence after Fox withheld records until the eve of the trial. Fox has also said that Dominion cannot pin actual malice on the individuals Dominion has said were responsible for the defamatory statements.

☆ Dominion’s case against Fox News goes to trial next week. Is the First Amendment really on the line?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

But even by the standards of the profession, the language in Dominion's $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News has been downright apocalyptic. A victory for Dominion against Fox, they say, could wreak havoc for other journalism organizations across the country. The sheer closeness between Trump and Fox News makes a case like this unlikely to harm journalism organizations down the line, Goodale said. The vast majority of defamation cases against media organizations are settled, which gives few high-profile precedents to the Dominion lawsuit. "And that's the balance that the Sullivan court strike tried to strike in 1964.

Wilmington, Delaware CNN —Dominion Voting Systems’ high-stakes defamation trial against Fox News, which was supposed to begin Monday, was abruptly delayed on Sunday evening, in a stunning eleventh-hour twist that threw into question whether a settlement was in the works. Opening statements were expected on Monday, but the Delaware Superior Court said in a surprise announcement that “the start of the trial” will now be Tuesday. “The Court has decided to continue the start of the trial, including jury selection, until Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Neither Dominion nor Fox commented on the delay Sunday. It says it was defamed by the right-wing network when Fox hosts and guests claimed in 2020 that its voting systems illegally rigged the election against Donald Trump.

☆ What to know ahead of the Fox News and Dominion trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —A trial in a defamation suit brought against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems is set to begin this week. Here are 5 things to know ahead of the trial. Fox was trying to block Dominion from having the Murdochs on the witness stand. Fox Corporation, the right-wing news outlet’s owner, has an estimated $4 billion in cash on hand, according to its latest earnings statement. Though major figures at Fox privately acknowledged reality – that former President Donald Trump had lost to President Joe Biden in 2020 – Fox continued to air conspiracies and lies in order to keep its large audience engaged.

☆ Fox mogul Rupert Murdoch survived the phone-hacking scandal. Dominion's $1.6 billion lawsuit will test whether he can do it again.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Now, two voting-technology companies, Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, want to make another Murdoch media property pay even more for Fox News's role in spreading election denial. But the phone-hacking scandal showed how Murdoch has weathered challenges to his power before. Another key difference from the phone-hacking scandal is the presence of written records that show Fox execs knew exactly what was going on. In the last quarter of 2022, Fox Corp. netted $321 million on $4.6 billion in revenue. And during the phone-hacking scandal, Murdoch showed fierce loyalty.

☆ Abby Grossberg, ex-Fox News producer, escalates lawsuit against network, adds CEO Suzanne Scott as defendant
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In explosive lawsuits filed last month, Abby Grossberg claimed Fox lawyers bullied her into protecting the network and its on-air personalities in her deposition for the Dominion Voting Systems’ case. Grossberg now accuses Scott of being complicit in the alleged coercion, according to her amended lawsuit. The network fired Grossberg after she initiated the litigation. The topic of potentially missing or withheld evidence is looming large over the Dominion case. Dominion has said that it plans to call Grossberg as a witness as part of its case against Fox News.

Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis issued the sanction after Dominion's lawyers revealed instances in which Fox's attorneys did not turn over evidence in a timely manner, the Times reported. Fox said in a statement that it "produced the supplemental information" to Dominion "when we first learned it." Dominion sued Fox News and parent company Fox Corp (FOXA.O) in 2021. Grossberg said in her latest filing that she has tapes of former Trump lawyers, including Giuliani, conceding they lacked evidence for their claims. As a Fox News officer, Murdoch would likely have been subject to more probing discovery by Dominion.

☆ Ex-Fox News producer claims the company withheld damning recordings of Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell that could help Dominion's defamation lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg is claiming her ex-employer withheld evidence from Dominion. Grossberg claims Fox failed to turn over audio recordings featuring Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. That line is cited in the lawsuit filed by Dominion, which is seeking $1.6 in damages for what it says was defamation. "The Trump advisor tellingly responded that there were in fact no issues with those machines," according to Grossberg's legal filing. Powell, likewise, was unable to back up some of her wilder claims, according to the filing.

CNN —Fox News swiftly banned then-President Donald Trump’s election-denying lawyers from appearing on the right-wing channel in December 2020 after being threatened with a defamation suit, a text message made public on Friday revealed. The message was made public as part of Dominion Voting Systems’ ongoing $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News. Grossberg’s text message was dated December 14, 2020. A Fox News spokesperson did not comment specifically on the exchange between Grossberg and Bartiromo indicating the network had banned Trump’s legal team from its air. Grossberg last week filed two lawsuits against Fox News accusing the network of coercing her into providing misleading testimony in the Dominion case.

☆ Judge rejects Fox motions, allows Dominion's $1.6 billion defamation suit to go to trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A Delaware judge on Friday said Dominion Voting's $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox Corp. and its networks could go to trial in April. Judge Eric Davis of Delaware's Superior Court rejected Fox's arguments that it should bypass a trial since it's protected by the First Amendment. We look forward to going to trial," Dominion said late Friday afternoon. The former president, who was indicted Thursday in an unrelated criminal matter, has repeatedly made false claims about the election being rigged against him. The depositions of both Murdochs, as well as other Fox Corp. executives, are to be included in the trial, too.

Fox News also denies wrongdoing in the underlying Dominion case, and says it didn’t defame anyone. Last week, Grossberg filed explosive lawsuits in New York and Delaware accusing Fox News lawyers of pressuring her into providing misleading testimony in the Dominion case – testimony that would protect the network and its top talent. Since filing the lawsuit, she submitted new sworn testimony in the Dominion defamation case that undermines some of Fox’s defenses. After filing the lawsuit, Grossberg was fired from Fox News. The right-wing network said in a statement that she violated corporate rules improperly exposed legally privileged information in her lawsuit.

☆ Dominion wants Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, other Fox News hosts to testify at trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Dominion's live witness list of Fox Corp .'s right-wing TV networks includes Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, as well as former host Lou Dobbs and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott, according to court papers. Dominion has pointed to 20 broadcasts in which they believe the hosts on Fox News and Fox Business repeated false claims of election fraud and continuously had on guests who repeated those claims. Documents, including text messages and emails, show Fox's TV hosts were skeptical of the election fraud claims being made on air. Dominion is also requesting the depositions of Fox Corp. executives, including Chairman Rupert Murdoch and CEO Lachlan Murdoch, as well as others, be included in the trial. "Dominion's needlessly expansive live witness list is yet another attempt to generate headlines and distract from the many shortcomings of its case.

Fox News, however, did suggest it wants to put Scott, Wallace, Hannity, Carlson, Bartiromo, and Baier on the stand as witnesses. But in past court filings, Fox News has highlighted the fact that Baier said on-air shortly after the 2020 election that there weren’t indications of widespread fraud. Both Fox News and Dominion asked Davis in court this week to declare them the outright winner without a trial. Fox News has argued that it can’t be held liable for airing inherently newsworthy allegations from public figures that Dominion rigged the 2020 election, even if those claims were false. Fox Corporation has argued that Dominion overstated its role in Fox News’ editorial coverage of the 2020 election and asked to be dropped from the lawsuit – but the judge let the case move forward.

NEW YORK, March 27 (Reuters) - A newly fired Fox News producer is seeking to recant testimony she said network lawyers coerced her into providing as Fox defends against Dominion Voting Systems' $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit. Grossberg said Fox fired her on Friday, four days after she originally sued and was put on administrative leave. Fox, part of Rupert Murdoch's Fox Corp (FOXA.O), said Grossberg "ignored" its warning that she might lose her job if she revealed privileged communications with lawyers. The cases are Grossberg v Fox Corp et al, Delaware Superior Court, No. N23C-03-180; and Grossberg v Fox Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

☆ Former Tucker Carlson producer says Fox News lawyers coerced her into saying coworkers were trustworthy: 'They're activists, not journalists'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The New York lawsuit alleges that Fox News executives and producers denied her promotions and salary adjustments that would bring her in line with male colleagues. In another section of the lawsuit, Grossberg alleges a producer on Carlson's show repeatedly made antisemitic remarks. In her revised deposition, Grossberg answers that Bartiromo — one of the Fox News hosts who platformed Powell — has a "responsibility to push back against untrue statements with fact." "That did not happen with respect to Dominion-related reporting," Grossberg claims. "Ms. Grossberg ignored these communications and chose to file her complaint without taking any steps to protect those portions containing Fox's privileged information."

☆ Fox News fires producer who filed explosive lawsuits against the network
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Fox News producer who accused the right-wing network of pressuring her into giving misleading testimony in the Dominion defamation case has been fired, she disclosed in new court filings. Lawyers for Abby Grossberg, a former producer for Maria Bartiromo and Tucker Carlson who is suing Fox News over the alleged legal coercion, said that she was fired by the network on Friday. Last week, Grossberg filed explosive lawsuits in New York and Delaware accusing Fox News lawyers of coercing her into providing misleading testimony in the Dominion case – testimony that would protect the network and its top talent. She gave a deposition in the case, and her testimony has been cited by Dominion in some of its court filings. “We were clear that if she violated our instructions, Fox would take appropriate action including termination,” the spokesperson said.

☆ Fox News producer was forced to spy on Maria Bartiromo, who execs called 'crazy,' menopausal,' and 'hysterical,' new lawsuit says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Grossberg says she was made to spy on host Maria Bartiromo, who execs called "crazy" and "menopausal." Grossberg said Fox executives called Bartiromo names behind the scenes. One producer, the suit says, called Bartiromo "crazy," "menopausal," and said she often became "hysterical," while another described her as a "diva." Jerry Andrews, vice president of weekend news at Fox News Media, is also said to have also requested Grossberg spy on the host. "In February 2022, Mr. Andrews reiterated his directive to Ms. Grossberg to 'keep an eye' on Ms. Bartiromo and report back anything 'crazy' that she said."

☆ Fox News producer files explosive lawsuits against the network, alleging she was coerced into providing misleading Dominion testimony
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —A Fox News producer on Monday filed a pair of explosive lawsuits against the right-wing talk channel, alleging that the network’s lawyers coerced her into providing misleading testimony in Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation case against the company. The lawsuits from Grossberg, who has since been placed on administrative leave by Fox, were filed in Delaware Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. “It’s another example of Fox News not only shying away from the truth, but attempting to bury the truth,” Filippatos told CNN. Grossberg named Carlson and members of his staff in the lawsuit filed in New York. “I’ve covered many stories while I have been there,” Grossberg told CNN.

☆ Fox News producer alleges Tucker Carlson's team plastered photos around the office of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit 'revealing her cleavage'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Fox News producer alleges Tucker Carlson's team posted photos of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit around the office. The lawsuit alleges the photos revealed Pelosi's cleavage, with the "joke" being that she looked bad. Apparently, the 'joke' was that Speaker Pelosi looked terrible in a bathing suit," the lawsuit alleges. A producer for a different Fox News show, the lawsuit alleges, called Bartiromo "not as credible as male anchors" at the network. The spokesperson did not comment on the allegations regarding sexism in the workplace or the alleged images of Nancy Pelosi.

☆ A new lawsuit alleges a Tucker Carlson producer mocked a Jewish Fox News employee for going to a 'Jew bakery' to 'see his people'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Fox News employee says that Tucker Carlson producers mocked Jewish employees. A new lawsuit alleges that one producer taunted a Jewish employee for going to a "Jew bakery" to "see his people." The suit details an encounter between one producer on Tucker Carlson Tonight and another employee, a Jewish man and producer on the same show. During the holiday season in 2022, the Jewish worker went to a Jewish bakery and brought a babka — which is a historically Jewish sweet bread — to the office, the lawsuit states. Then, whenever the Jewish employee would visit the bakery after that, the worker "loudly proclaimed to the [Tucker Carlson show] booking team that [the Jewish employee] went to the 'Jew bakery,' and that he had gone 'to see his people,'" the suit alleges.

Murphy sought to provide context for the defamatory statements alleged by Dominion and argued that reasonable viewers understood that the claims aired on Fox News were mere allegations. The Fox News statements cited by Dominion included a Twitter post by former Fox Business host Lou Dobbs that included pro-Trump hashtags. Lawyer Justin Nelson answered no, saying Dominion's allegation is that Fox knew Trump's lawyers were going to make false claims but hosted them on its shows anyway. Abby Grossberg, who was head of booking for Fox News host Tucker Carlson, said coaching and intimidation by Fox lawyers before her deposition left her "feeling pressured not to name names or to implicate others, in particular prominent male on-air personalities and Fox News executives." Fox said in a statement on Tuesday that Grossberg's "allegations in connection with the Dominion case are baseless and we will vigorously defend Fox against all of her claims."

☆ Fox bosses ‘shut down’ fact checking with 2020 conspiracies, Dominion lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Dominion is suing Fox News over the right-wing channel’s airing of false claims of election fraud around the 2020 presidential election. Fox News argued that Dominion should instead rely on the “lengthy depositions” that these witnesses already gave. It claims Dominion hasn’t shown anything strong enough to overcome the high bar that the First Amendment provides, protecting good-faith journalists from speech-chilling defamation lawsuits. Dominion lawyer Rodney Smolla said its high-stakes defamation case against Fox News will protect the public discourse and hold accountable people who deliberately lied about the 2020 election. “They endorsed,” Murdoch said, referring to Fox hosts Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, Maria Bartiromo, and former host Lou Dobbs.

☆ Fox News sued a Tucker Carlson producer named in the Dominion lawsuit for threatening to expose its legal secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Jack Newsham | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Fox News says Abby Grossberg threatened to file a discrimination lawsuit that will reveal secrets. Dominion included Grossberg's texts and testimony in its defamation lawsuit against Fox. The network sued Abby Grossberg on Monday, claiming that she has threatened to sue Fox News for discrimination and retaliation. Fox News's suit against Grossberg didn't mention Dominion, referring only to an "unrelated lawsuit," but details in its complaint and in the record of the Dominion lawsuit make the connection clear. Dominion sued Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corporation, in March 2021, alleging it defamed the election technology company when its hosts allowed Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, two pro-Trump lawyers, to come on air.

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