Fox News

===2020 election fraud allegations and lawsuits by Dominion and Smartmatic ===
{{see also|Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network|Big lie#Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election}}
After Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Fox News host [[Jeanine Pirro]] promoted baseless allegations on her program that voting machine company [[Smartmatic]] and its competitor [[Dominion Voting Systems]] had conspired to rig the election against Trump. Hosts [[Lou Dobbs]] and [[Maria Bartiromo]] also promoted the allegations on their programs on sister network [[Fox Business]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 4, 2021|title=Fox News and three hosts sued for $2.7 billion by voting machine company over election-fraud claims|publisher=Associated Press|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/02/04/fox-news-three-hosts-trump-lawyers-sued-over-election-fraud-claims/4392023001/|access-date=February 23, 2022|via=USA Today}}</ref> In December 2020, Smartmatic sent a letter to Fox News demanding retractions and threatening legal action, specifying that retractions "must be published on multiple occasions" so as to "match the attention and audience targeted with the original defamatory publications."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediaite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Legal-Notice-and-Retraction-Demand-from-Smartmatic-USA-Corp-to-Fox-News.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214172710/https://www.mediaite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Legal-Notice-and-Retraction-Demand-from-Smartmatic-USA-Corp-to-Fox-News.pdf |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |url-status=live|title=Legal Notice and Retraction Demand from Smartmatic USA Corp to Fox News|website=Mediaite|date=December 10, 2020|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> Days later, each of the three programs aired the same three-minute video segment consisting of an interview with an election technology expert who refuted the allegations promoted by the hosts, responding to questions from an unseen and unidentified man. None of the three hosts personally issued retractions. Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against the network, the three hosts, Powell and Trump attorney [[Rudy Giuliani]] in February 2021.<ref>{{cite web|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|date=February 4, 2021|title=Voting technology company Smartmatic files $2.7 billion lawsuit against Fox News, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell over 'disinformation campaign'|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/media/smartmatic-fox-news-giuliani-powell-lawsuit/index.html|access-date=February 23, 2022|publisher=CNN}}</ref> In an April 2021 court brief seeking dismissal of the suit, Fox attorney [[Paul Clement]] argued that the network was simply "reporting allegations made by a sitting President and his lawyers."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/fox-news-lawyers-renew-bid-to-get-smartmatics-billion-dollar-case-thrown-out-of-court-the-real-threat-to-democracy-is-this-lawsuit/|title=Fox News Lawyers Renew Bid to Get Smartmatic's Billion-Dollar Case Thrown Out of Court: The Real 'Threat' to Democracy Is This Lawsuit|date=April 26, 2021|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> A New York State Supreme Court judge ruled in March 2022 that the suit could proceed, though he dismissed allegations against [[Sidney Powell]] and Pirro, and some claims against Giuliani. The judge allowed allegations against Bartiromo and Dobbs to stand.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stempel |first1=Jonathan |title=Smartmatic can pursue election-rigging claims against Fox News, Giuliani |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/smartmatic-can-pursue-election-rigging-claims-against-fox-news-giuliani-2022-03-08/ |publisher=Reuters |date=March 8, 2022}}</ref> The [[New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division]] unanimously rejected a Fox News bid to dismiss the Smartmatic suit in February 2023. The court reinstated defamation allegations against Giuliani and Pirro.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stempel |first1=Jonathan |title=Fox News must face Smartmatic's lawsuit over election-rigging claims |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/fox-news-must-face-smartmatics-lawsuit-over-election-rigging-claims-2023-02-14/ |publisher=Reuters |date=February 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Larson |first1=Eric |title=Giuliani, Pirro Thrown Back Into 2020 Vote-Fraud Defamation Case |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-14/giuliani-pirro-thrown-back-into-2020-vote-fraud-defamation-case |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=February 14, 2023}}</ref>

In December 2020, Dominion Voting Systems sent a similar letter demanding retractions to Trump attorney Sidney Powell,<ref>{{cite news|date=December 17, 2020|title=Days After Smartmatic's Legal Threat, Dominion Voting Systems Follows Suit with Demand Letter to Sidney Powell|url=https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/days-after-smartmatics-legal-threat-dominion-voting-systems-follows-suit-with-demand-letter-to-sidney-powell/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=December 18, 2020|title=Lou Dobbs Airs Stunning Fact-Check of His Own Election Claims|url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/lou-dobbs-airs-stunning-fact-check-of-his-own-election-conspiracies-after-company-threatens-legal-action/|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=December 19, 2020|title=Lou Dobbs debunks his own claims of election fraud—after a legal demand from Smartmatic|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/12/19/lou-dobbs-debunk-fact-check-smartmatic/|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> who had promoted the allegations on Fox programs.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 20, 2020|title=Fox News fact-checks Smartmatic voting machine fraud claim in staged video|website=The Guardian|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/20/fox-news-retracts-voting-machine-fraud-claim-smartmatic|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=December 20, 2020|title=Jeanine Pirro's Show Runs Same Fact-Check as Lou Dobbs—At End of Show With Guest Host|url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/jeanine-pirros-show-runs-same-fact-check-as-lou-dobbs-at-end-of-show-with-guest-host-filling-in/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=December 20, 2020|title=Maria Bartiromo Airs Fact-Check, Adds 'We Will Keep Investigating'|url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/maria-bartiromo-airs-same-fact-check-of-election-conspiracies-as-fox-colleagues-adds-we-will-keep-investigating/}}</ref> On March 26, 2021, Dominion filed a $1.6{{Nbsp}}billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, alleging that Fox and some of its pundits spread conspiracy theories about Dominion, and allowed guests to make false statements about the company.<ref name="Izadi-2021">{{cite news|last=Izadi|first=Elahe|date=March 26, 2021|title=Fox News sued by Dominion Voting for $1.6 billion over election fraud claims|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/03/26/fox-dominion-lawsuit-defamation/|access-date=March 26, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> On May 18, 2021, Fox News filed a motion to dismiss the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, asserting a [[First Amendment]] right "to inform the public about newsworthy allegations of paramount public concern."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Folkenflik|first1=David|last2=Romo|first2=Vanessa|date=May 18, 2021|title=Fox News Moves To Have Dominion Voting Systems Lawsuit Dismissed|publisher=[[NPR]]|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/18/998099249/fox-news-moves-to-have-dominion-voting-systems-lawsuit-dismissed|access-date=May 23, 2021}}</ref> The motion to dismiss was denied on December 16, 2021, by a Delaware Superior Court judge.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Keller |first1=Aaron |title='The Court Can Infer That Fox Intended to Avoid the Truth': Judge Refuses to Dismiss Dominion Lawsuit Against Fox News Over 2020 Election Coverage |url=https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/the-court-can-infer-that-fox-intended-to-avoid-the-truth-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-dominion-lawsuit-against-fox-news-over-2020-election-coverage/ |work=Law and Crime |date=December 16, 2021|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> In addition to Bartiromo, Dobbs, and Pirro, the suit also names primetime hosts Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Larson |first1=Erik |title=Dominion Defamation Suit Against Fox Can Move Forward |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-17/dominion-defamation-suit-against-fox-gets-go-ahead-from-judge |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=December 16, 2021|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil sued Fox, Dobbs and Powell for $250 million in December 2021, alleging they had falsely implicated him in rigging Dominion and Smartmatic machines.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shamsian |first1=Jacob |title=Venezuelan man files $250 million lawsuit against Fox News and Sidney Powell after baseless accusations that he rigged 2020 election results |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/venezuelan-man-sues-fox-news-sidney-powell-for-conspiracy-theories-2021-12 |work=Business Insider |date=December 28, 2021|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> Dobbs and Fox News reached a confidential settlement with Khalil in April 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Farrell |first1=Maureen |title=Fox News Settles Defamation Case With Venezuelan Businessman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/09/business/fox-news-venezuela-dominion.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 9, 2023}}</ref>

Fox News was the only major network or cable news outlet to not carry the first televised [[prime time]] hearing of the [[January 6 committee]] live; its regular programming of ''[[Tucker Carlson Tonight]]'' and ''[[Hannity]]'' was aired without commercial breaks. During the weeks following the election, Carlson and Hannity often amplified Trump's election falsehoods on their programs; previously disclosed text messages between Hannity and White House press secretary [[Kayleigh McEnany]] were presented during the hearing. Hannity told his audience, "Unlike this committee and their cheerleaders in the media mob, we will actually be telling you the truth," while Carlson said, "This is the only hour on an American news channel that won't be covering their propaganda live. They are lying and we are not going to help them do it."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Folkenflik |first1=David |title=Only one major cable news channel did not carry the Jan. 6 hearing live: Fox News |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/06/10/1104116455/fox-news-jan-6-hearing?t=1654877226057 |publisher=National Public Radio |date=June 10, 2022|quote=As it turned out, the hearings would also have repeatedly required Fox to have broadcast flat contradictions of what many leading Fox News personalities have told their audiences in the past year and a half—including Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. Instead, their prime-time shows continued without commercial interruption Thursday, offering an alternate reality to a hearing that showed vivid and bloody detail of a national crisis.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=CNN Exclusive: New text messages reveal Fox's Hannity advising Trump White House and seeking direction |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/29/politics/hannity-text-messages-meadows-trump-white-house/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=April 30, 2022|author1=Jamie Gangel|author2=Jeremy Herb|author3=Elizabeth Stuart|author4=Brian Stelter}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Jeremy W. |title=Fox News gives its viewers a revisionist history lesson of Jan. 6. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/us/tucker-carlson-sean-hannity-fox-news-jan-6.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 9, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mastrangelo |first1=Dominick |title=Tucker Carlson: Jan. 6 panel is 'lying and we are not going to help them do it' |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/media/3518349-defiant-tucker-carlson-boasts-fox-news-channel-not-carrying-jan-6-hearing-propaganda-live/ |work=The Hill |date=June 9, 2022}}</ref>

In June 2022, a Delaware Superior Court judge again declined to dismiss the Dominion suit against Fox News, and also allowed Dominion to sue the network's corporate parent, Fox Corporation. The judge ruled that Rupert and [[Lachlan Murdoch|Lachlan]] Murdoch may have acted with [[actual malice]] because there was a reasonable inference they "either knew Dominion had not manipulated the election or at least recklessly disregarded the truth when they allegedly caused Fox News to propagate its claims about Dominion." He noted a report that Rupert Murdoch spoke with Trump a few days after the election and informed him that he had lost.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fox News Parent Has to Face Defamation Suit Over Vote-Rigging Claims |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-21/fox-corp-loses-bid-to-toss-dominion-suit-over-election-claims |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=June 21, 2022|author1=Erik Larson|author2= Mike Leonard}}</ref>

''The New York Times'' reported in December 2022 that Dominion had acquired communications between Fox News executives and hosts, and between a Fox Corporation employee and the Trump White House, showing they knew that what the network was reporting was untrue. Dominion attorneys said hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, and Fox executives, attested to this in sworn depositions. In November 2020, Hannity hosted [[Sidney Powell]], who asserted Dominion machines had been rigged, but said in his deposition, "I did not believe it for one second."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Jeremy W. |title=In Testimony, Hannity and Other Fox Employees Said They Doubted Trump's Fraud Claims |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/business/media/sean-hannity-fox-trump-election.html |work=The New York TImes |date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> A February 2023 Dominion court filing showed Fox News primetime hosts messaging each other to insult and mock Trump advisers, indicating the hosts knew the allegations made by Powell and Giuliani were false. Rupert Murdoch messaged that Trump's voter fraud claims were "really crazy stuff," telling Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott that it was "terrible stuff damaging everybody, I fear." As a January 2021 Georgia runoff election approached that would determine party control of the U.S. Senate, Murdoch told Scott, "Trump will concede eventually and we should concentrate on Georgia, helping any way we can."<ref>{{cite news |title=Fox Stars Privately Expressed Disbelief About Election Fraud Claims. 'Crazy Stuff.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/business/media/fox-dominion-lawsuit.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |work=The New York Times |date=February 16, 2023|author1=Jeremy W. Peters|author2=Katie Robertson}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Fox News hosts called 2020 election fraud 'total BS' in private, new Dominion court filing says |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/fox-news-hosts-called-2020-election-fraud-total/story?id=97261751 |publisher=ABC News |date=February 16, 2023|author1=Olivia Rubin|author2=Lucien Bruggeman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Klasfeld |first1=Adam |title='Really crazy stuff': Rupert Murdoch trashed Rudy Giuliani's election theories, unsealed filing in Fox News suit reveals |url=https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/really-crazy-stuff-rupert-murdoch-trashed-rudy-giulianis-election-theories-unsealed-filing-in-fox-news-suit-reveals/ |work=Law&Crime |date=February 16, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network court filing |url=https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/redacted-documents-in-dominion-fox-news-case/dca5e3880422426f/full.pdf |date=February 16, 2023}}</ref>

After the 2016 election, the network developed a cutting-edge system to call elections, which proved very successful during the 2018 midterm elections. The network was the first to call the 2020 Arizona race for Biden, angering many viewers. Washington managing editor [[Bill Sammon]] supervised the network's Decision Desk that made the call. [[Bret Baier]] and [[Martha MacCallum]], the network's main news anchors, suggested during a high-level conference call that relying solely on data to make the call was inadequate and that viewer reaction should also be considered; MacCallum said, "in a Trump environment, the game is just very, very different." Sammon stood by the 2020 call and was fired by the network after the January 2021 Georgia runoff.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Peter |title=Inside the Panic at Fox News After the 2020 Election |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/04/us/politics/panic-fox-news-2020-election.html |work=The New York Times |date=March 4, 2023}}</ref>

In 2023, Rupert Murdoch was deposed and testified that some Fox News commentators were endorsing [[Big lie#Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election|election fraud claims]] they knew were false.<ref name="Matza_2/27/2023">{{cite web | last=Matza | first=Max | title=Rupert Murdoch says Fox News hosts endorsed false election fraud claims | website=[[BBC News]] | date=February 28, 2023 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64794606 | access-date=February 28, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Peters_Robertson_2/27/2023">{{cite web | last1=Peters | first1=Jeremy W | last2=Robertson | first2=Katie | title=Murdoch Acknowledges Fox News Hosts Endorsed Election Fraud Falsehoods | website=[[The New York Times]] | date=February 27, 2023 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/27/business/media/fox-news-dominion-rupert-murdoch.html | access-date=February 28, 2023}}</ref>

In February 2023, Fox's internal communications were released, showing that its presenters and senior executives privately doubted Donald Trump's claims of a stolen election.<ref name=Crazy>{{cite news |title=Fox Stars Privately Expressed Disbelief About Election Fraud Claims. 'Crazy Stuff.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/business/media/fox-dominion-lawsuit.html |work=The New York TImes |date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230419071342/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/business/media/fox-dominion-lawsuit.html |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |first1=Jeremy |last1=Peters |first2=Katie |last2=Robertson}}</ref> Chairman Rupert Murdoch once described Trump's voter fraud claims as "really crazy stuff", and also said that Trump advisers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell's television appearances were "terrible stuff damaging everybody".<ref name=Crazy/> One November 2020 exchange showed Tucker Carlson accusing Powell of "lying ... I caught her. It's insane", with Laura Ingraham responding that "Sidney is a complete nut. No one will work with her. Ditto with Rudy".<ref name=Crazy/> In another exchange that month, Carlson called for Fox journalist Jacqui Heinrich to be "fired" because she fact-checked Trump and said that there was no evidence of voter fraud from Dominion.<ref name=Crazy/> Carlson said that Heinrich's actions "needs to stop immediately, like tonight. It's measurably hurting the company. The stock price is down", while Heinrich deleted the fact-check the next morning.<ref name=Crazy/>

In March 2023, more of Fox's internal communications were released.<ref name=Levine>{{Cite news |last=Levine |first=Sam |date=March 29, 2023 |title=Angry Fox News chief said fact-checks of Trump's election lies 'bad for business' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/29/fox-news-trump-fact-check-election-lies-dominion |access-date=March 31, 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> One November 2020 communication showed Fox CEO Suzanne Scott criticizing fact-checking, stating that she cannot "keep defending these reporters who don't understand our viewers and how to handle stories ... The audience feels like we crapped on" them, and Fox was losing their audience's "trust and belief" in them.<ref name=Levine/> Another December 2020 communication showed Scott responding to Fox presenter Eric Shawn's fact-checking of Donald Trump's false 2020 election claims by demanding that the fact-checking "has to stop now ... This is bad business ... The audience is furious."<ref name=Levine/>

On March 31, 2023, Delaware Superior Court judge Eric Davis ruled in a [[summary judgment]] that it "is CRYSTAL clear that none of the statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true" and ordered for the case to go to trial.<ref name=crystal>{{cite news |title=Fox News Suffers Major Setback in Its Defamation Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/business/fox-dominion-defamation-case.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230401051148/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/business/fox-dominion-defamation-case.html |archive-date=April 1, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=March 31, 2023|first1=Jeremy |last1=Peters| first2=Katie |last2=Robertson}}</ref>

On April 18, 2023, Fox News reached a settlement with Dominion just before the trial started, concluding the lawsuit; Fox agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million, and further stated: "We acknowledge the Court's rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false".<ref name=787m>{{cite news |title=Fox to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million to settle election defamation lawsuit |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/18/fox-news-and-dominion-settle-election-defamation-lawsuit-judge-says.html |access-date=April 19, 2023 |first1=Dan |last1=Mangan |first2=Kevin |last2=Breuninger |first3=Lillian |last3=Rizzo |work=[[CNBC]] |date=April 18, 2023}}</ref>