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☆ Smartmatic subpoenas Donald Trump's former campaign in lawsuit against Fox News over 2020 election conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump's lawyers defamed Smartmatic with election conspiracy theories, Smartmatic says. They seek communications and files from Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., Trump's campaign vehicle for the 2016 and 2020 elections. In the subpoenas, Smartmatic asks for all communications regarding Smartmatic or Dominion — a rival election technology company also caught up in conspiracy theories — in connection with Fox News and Newsmax around the time of the 2020 election. They also ask for communication regarding appearances by Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, two attorneys who advanced the conspiracy theories on behalf of the Trump campaign. The subpoenas indicate that Smartmatic seeks to penetrate the inner workings of Trump's campaign operation to understand their links with right-wing media organizations.

☆ Fox News has lost half its 8 p.m. audience in just days since Tucker Carlson's firing
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Fox News has lost about half of its 8 p.m. audience in the days following Tucker Carlson's firing. 1.33 million viewers tuned in on Wednesday, compared to 2.65 million for Carlson's unexpected final show last Friday. The ratings data from Nielsen has been tracked by CNN's Oliver Darcy every day since Carlson was fired. Carlson's last show Friday drew 2.65 million viewers, itself down from the other four days of last week which each topped 3 million, and Tuesday and Wednesday this week fell to 1.7 million and 1.33 million viewers, CNN reported. The viewers appear to be opting for other conservative networks, as Darcy reported that Newsmax's 8 p.m. hour totaled 510,000 viewers, tripling the audience they drew at the same time last Wednesday.

☆ Tucker Carlson was captured on video discussing if his 'postmenopausal fans' will like how he looks on air and describing a woman as 'yummy:' NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Fox execs were concerned about Tucker Carlson calling a female exec the c-word, the WSJ reported. The New York Times obtained video that also showed Carlson talking about women in questionable ways. The Times reported Wednesday it had also obtained video that showed Carlson speaking about women in potentially inappropriate ways. The video, in which Carlson was off-camera, captured him discussing if his "postmenopausal fans" will like how he looks on his show, the outlet said. In another video, Carlson could be heard talking about finding a woman "yummy," the Times reported.

☆ The 7 theories for why Tucker Carlson got fired from Fox News
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tucker Carlson was axed by Fox News Monday, days after it settled Dominion's defamation lawsuit. Here are seven theories for why Fox News decided to part ways with Carlson. Since then, media industry insiders have been buzzing with different theories for why Carlson was pushed out. The C-wordWithin the Dominion lawsuit, there emerged a pattern of vulgar language spewed by Carlson throughout his time at Fox News. Rupert Murdoch (right) and Lachlan Murdoch at the US Open in 2018.

☆ Former Fox producer who sued Tucker Carlson alleging a 'sexist' work environment just 1 month before he was ousted has 'mixed feelings' about his departure
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A former Fox producer suing Tucker Carlson said his Monday ouster left her with "mixed feelings." Abby Grossberg spoke to MSNBC this week about her ongoing lawsuits against Carlson and Fox. A former Fox News producer who is suing Tucker Carlson and other company executives for running a "sexist" work environment said Carlson's shocking ouster on Monday felt like the deliverance of "partial" justice. So, when she learned that Carlson had been ousted on Monday morning, Grossberg said she was left with "mixed emotions." Grossberg has also alleged that Fox News attorneys coerced her into making false statements in a deposition for the since-settled Dominion lawsuit.

☆ Tucker Carlson's history of alleged workplace sexism stretches back to 2015, long before Abby Grossberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Possible rationales include Murdoch's contempt for Carlson's religiosity and Carlson's insistence on hewing to conspiracy theories about the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Internal correspondence unearthed in a defamation lawsuit against Fox News showed Carlson used sexist expletives to refer to a female Fox executive and a guest. The company last week agreed to pay $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems. Carlson was one of many Fox News hosts who promoted false election conspiracies, the subject of the defamation suit, on their shows. Fox News is still facing a similar defamation suit from another voting machine manufacturer.

CNN —Special Counsel Jack Smith has expressed interest in audio tapes recorded by former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg while she worked at the right-wing network, her lawyer said. Grossberg attorney Gerry Filippatos told CNN on Wednesday that he has given a spreadsheet to the special counsel’s team, detailing the nearly 90 audiotapes in Grossberg’s possession. “We’re in the process of negotiating a targeted subpoena for Abby’s electronic data, so they can have what they want,” Filippatos said. Federal investigators initially reached out several weeks ago, after some of the tapes were aired by news outlets, Filippatos said. Fox vehemently denies these allegations and has said her lawsuits are “riddled with false allegations against Fox and our employees.”A spokesman for the special counsel’s office declined to comment.

☆ Lawyers plan to depose Tucker Carlson about 'sexist' workplace later this year amid reports he was ousted from Fox News over misogynistic messages
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Grossberg's lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court against Fox News in March, also names both Carlson and one of his top producers, Justin Wells, as defendants. Their removal from Fox News, however, doesn't mean they can escape scrutiny in the lawsuit, Grossberg's lawyer Tanvir Rahman told Insider. Grossberg's lawsuit was one factor in the decision to fire him, according to the Los Angeles Times. Grossberg's lawsuit alleges she experienced a hostile environment while working as a producer for shows hosted by Carlson and Maria Bartiromo. Fox executives derided Bartiromo with sexist terms, calling her "menopausal," "hysterical," a "diva," and a "crazy bitch," Grossberg's lawsuit claims.

☆ Tucker Carlson leaves Fox News in wake of Dominion defamation settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Right-wing prime-time host Tucker Carlson is leaving Fox News immediately, the cable network announced Monday. "FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways," the company said in a statement Monday. Carlson's program, "Tucker Carlson Tonight," has long been one of Fox's top rated programs. Carlson, 53, was among the Fox hosts and executives who were questioned as part of the Dominion lawsuit. While the Dominion lawsuit was unlikely to affect Fox's business, it was unclear the toll it would take on its programming and hosts.

Carlson, the highest-rated single host at Fox News, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The decision to part ways with Carlson was made Friday evening by Fox Corporation chief executive Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott, a person familiar with the matter said. During his time as a prime time host on Fox News, Carlson ascended to become one of the most influential figures inside the GOP. In a text on Nov. 5, 2020 — two days after the 2020 election — Carlson wrote his producer Alex Pfeiffer: “We worked really hard to build what we have. Last month, she sued Fox News, Carlson, his executive producer Justin Wells and other figures, as well as Fox’s parent corporation.

☆ Tucker Carlson and the Tragedy of Fox News - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Bret Stephens | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In the summer of 2011, Rupert Murdoch stopped by my small office at The Wall Street Journal, where I was a columnist and editor. The scandal ultimately resulted in the closure of News of the World, at one point one of the world’s biggest-selling English-language newspapers. It was to leave no trace that investigators might use for evidence against him, his family or his favorite lieutenants. “Sidney Powell is lying by the way,” Carlson told fellow host Laura Ingraham on Nov. 18, 2020, referring to the infamous election conspiracy theorist. “Terrible stuff damaging everybody, I fear,” Murdoch told the network’s chief executive, Suzanne Scott.

☆ Tucker Carlson's texts from the Dominion lawsuit reveal the real Fox News
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | Rebecca Zisser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Private texts reveal incredible detail about Fox News' inner workings. Among the messages is a thread where Tucker Carlson privately bashes Trump. Top Fox News hosts, including Tucker Carlson, privately insulted Chris Wallace and hatched a plot for a rebellion — November, 16, 2020. In a group chat between the three biggest hosts, Carlson, Hannity, and Ingraham, few colleagues, including then-"Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace, were spared. In a group chat between the three biggest hosts, Carlson, Hannity, and Ingraham, few colleagues such as then-"Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace were spared.

Private equity firm Staple Street Capital valued Dominion at $80 million when it purchased a controlling stake in it in 2018. The Fox settlement was nearly 10 times that amount and far outstripped the $226 million average of four pre-election valuations cited in Fox's court papers. Dominion's damages claim in the Fox case was based upon a report it commissioned from an accounting expert, half of which remains under seal. It is difficult to place a dollar value on the U.S. voting-machine industry because Dominion and its competitors all are privately held. While Dominion's report cites dozens of lost clients due to Fox's coverage, the company still has landed recent contract renewals including in California's Republican-majority Kern County.

☆ Trump operatives considered using breached voting data to decertify Georgia's Senate runoff in 2021, text messages show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

It’s unclear what if any evidence he has in his possession related to the Coffee County breach. Penrose and Logan were also named in a state-level criminal investigation in Michigan alleging they participated in a conspiracy to seize voting machines there. A local election official helped them gain access to sensitive voting data which they downloaded onto a portable hard drive. Bundren was part of the team enlisted by Trump’s lawyers to find evidence of widespread voter fraud after the 2020 election. Bundren helped oversee the multi-state push to access voting machines on behalf of the Trump legal team, according to several documents obtained by CNN.

☆ Ted Cruz, one of Trump's staunchest MAGA allies, was begging Fox News behind the scenes to show 'demonstrable facts' and evidence before repeating Trump's 2020 election lies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ted Cruz was recorded in 2020 urging Maria Bartiromo to make sure she had her facts straight. Cruz told Bartiromo to ensure she had evidence for any election fraud claims aired on Fox News. Cruz later joined several hardline MAGA senators in voting to not certify the 2020 election results. Despite his reservations, in January 2021, Cruz ended up voting not to certify the results of the 2020 election, joining several hardline GOP senators in repeating Trump's election fraud lies. Representatives for Cruz and Fox News did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

☆ The Fox-Dominion Settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The week's best and worst from Kim Strassel, Kyle Peterson and Dan Henninger. Images: Reuters/Shutterstock Composite: Mark KellyThe wailing you heard across the land Tuesday afternoon was the sound of thousands of journalists lamenting the settlement of the defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News. An entire industry of reporters has been denied the schadenfreude of seeing their hated political and media competitor in the dock. An hilariously revealing courtroom account in Politico laments that “hopes were dashed—dreams torpedoed” by the settlement. The settlement is a victory for Dominion, which said Fox will pay $787.5 million.

☆ Fox has more headaches coming after agreeing to pay $787.5 million to settle Dominion's defamation lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

After shelling out $787.5 billion to settle Dominion's lawsuit, Fox has more troubles on the way. Atop the list is a separate lawsuit from Smartmatic, another election technology company that sued Fox News Network and its parent company, Fox Corp., in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. Smartmatic's defamation lawsuit asks for $2.7 billion in damages and was filed against Fox Corp.; Fox News Network; hosts Jeanine Pirro, Maria Bartiromo, and Lou Dobbs; and Powell and Giuliani. Aside from the Smartmatic case, Fox News has to deal with potential shareholder lawsuits. The overall value of Fox Corp. — which also includes Fox Sports and the streaming service Tubi — is more than $17.6 billion.

"Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion that caused enormous damage to my company, our employees and our customers," Poulos said in a statement. Fox anchor Neil Cavuto broke into his news show "Your World" about 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to report the settlement. In February court filings, Dominion cited a trove of internal communications in which Murdoch and other Fox figures privately acknowledged that the vote-rigging claims made about Dominion on-air were false. Dominion said Fox amplified the untrue claims to boost its ratings and prevent its viewers from migrating to other media competitors on the right. ANOTHER LAWSUIT PENDINGAdding to the legal risks for Fox, another U.S. voting technology company, Smartmatic, is pursuing its own defamation lawsuit seeking $2.7 billion in damages in a New York state court.

☆ Lawyers for ex-Fox News producer suing for discrimination vow to bring 'meaningful changes' to network after Dominion settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Lawyers for a former Fox News producer vowed to continue their legal fight on Tuesday. Grossberg "remains as committed as ever to obtaining vindication," her lawyers said. Parisis G. Filippatos and Tanvir H. Rhaman, lawyers for Grossberg, suggested Tuesday that she is not eager to settle her case, at least not just yet. The goal, they claimed, is "bringing about truly real and meaningful institutional changes at Fox News through every vehicle available to us in our legal system." In a statement on Tuesday, the election technology company Smartmatic said it "remains committed" to its own $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against the network.

☆ Here are the winners and losers of Fox News's $787.5 million settlement with Dominion
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Fox News settled with Dominion on Tuesday, agreeing to pay $787.5 million. The network avoids a potentially embarrassing trial, while Dominion rakes in far more than its worth. Fox News agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million, the largest public sum in a defamation case. The winnersDominion Voting Systems: Fox News is paying Dominion $787.5 million — which amounts to nearly 10 times what the company is worth, according to an evaluation from 2018. Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell: The former Trump lawyers who made the false statements that were broadcast on Fox News were in no way vindicated by the settlement.

☆ What’s next for Fox and Dominion? More lawsuits seeking accountability for corrosive 2020 election lies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Wilmington, Delaware CNN —Dominion Voting Systems’ blockbuster defamation case against Fox News is over after the right-wing network cuts a check for a staggering $787 million, but there’s still an avalanche of pending lawsuits that are seeking accountability from the right-wing figures who championed false claims about the 2020 election. Smartmatic, another voting technology company, sued Fox for defamation following the 2020 election and is seeking $2.7 billion in damages from Fox and other defendants. Dominion still has a bevy of pending lawsuits against 2020 election deniers. “All of those decisions will have a huge bearing on those lawsuits as they play out,” Dominion lawyer Davida Brook told CNN Tuesday night. Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson added in a CNN interview that the Fox News settlement “sends a message to the other seven lawsuits that accountability is coming.”

☆ Everybody Knows What Fox News Is Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( James Poniewozik | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the days went on, Fox was placed in the nightmare situation of having to pierce the bubble and report the news: That Mr. Biden had been legally elected. Fox leaders watched the gains of conservative rivals like Newsmax and saw the audience’s interest in election-theft fantasies building. All this, trial or no trial, makes clear what Fox News really is. Seen this way, the Dominion case wasn’t so much about Fox telling its audience what to believe. It was about the audience telling Fox what Fox needed to believe — or at least, what it needed to give the appearance of not not believing.

☆ 16 takeaways from Fox News' historic $787.5 million settlement with Dominion
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

In the moments after I watched the judge announce the settlement in court, 16 things went through my mind:1. Evidence obtained by Dominion in the lawsuit and filed to court ahead of the settlement appeared to support that theory. There's always the Smartmatic case. In court filings ahead of the settlement, Fox complained about the $1.6 billion price tag Dominion put on the lawsuit. "Would be pretty unreal if you guys like 20x'ed your Dominion investment with these lawsuits," read one text to a Staple Street executive cited in a Fox court filing.

CompaniesCompanies Law Firms Dominion Voting Systems Corp FollowFox Corp FollowApril 19 (Reuters) - Dominion Voting Systems' defamation lawsuit against Fox (FOXA.O), which resulted in Tuesday’s $787.5 million settlement, is part of a broader legal campaign by the company to seek accountability from companies and individuals whom it claims have spread falsehoods about its technology. The company said it stands by its coverage and will "vigorously defend" itself against Dominion's claims. TRUMP LAWYERS AND PATRICK BRYNEAlso in August 2021, Dominion sued Patrick Byrne, the former chief executive of online retailer Overstock.com Inc, saying he too spread conspiracy theories about the company's technology. Dominion also has lawsuits pending against former Trump lawyers, Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, over the vote rigging claims. Each suit against the lawyers seeks at least $1.3 billion in damages.

"Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion that caused enormous damage to my company, our employees and our customers," Poulos said in a statement. Shares of Fox Corp closed up slightly at $34 per share, but were down 1% in after-hours trading after the settlement amount was disclosed. Fox Corp CEO Lachlan Murdoch told Wall Street analysts in February that the company had about $4 billion cash on hand. [1/5] Dominion CEO John Poulos and lawyers speak to the media after Dominion Voting Systems and Fox settled a defamation lawsuit for $787.5 million, avoiding trial, over Fox's coverage of debunked election-rigging claims, in Delaware Superior Court, in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. April 18, 2023. Fox Corp reported nearly $14 billion in annual revenue last year.

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