Fox News seeks to dismiss Dominion suit over election claims
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fox News has filed a motion to dismiss a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems over claims about the 2020 presidential election, arguing that its coverage is protected by the First Amendment.
The cable news giant said in court papers filed Tuesday that the Constitution safeguards the right to a free press and that well-established doctrine gives the media the ability to report without fear of liability.
“A free press must be able to report both sides of a story involving claims striking at the core of our democracy — especially when those claims prompt numerous lawsuits, government investigations, and election recounts," according to the court papers. “When a sitting President of the United States and his legal team challenge a presidential election in litigation throughout the nation, the media can truthfully report and comment on those allegations under the First Amendment.”
Dominion argued in March that Fox News, in an effort to boost faltering ratings, falsely claimed that the voting company had rigged the 2020 election in favor of President Joe Biden and at the detriment of former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit argued that Fox amplified inaccurate assertions that the voting company altered votes and “sold a false story of election fraud in order to serve its own commercial purposes, severely injuring Dominion in the process."
A spokesperson for Dominion said Wednesday that the company "strongly supports free speech, but defamation for commercial gain is clearly not protected, and we intend to hold Fox accountable for its reckless disregard for the truth. This case will strengthen the First Amendment, not weaken it.”
Fox attorneys said in court papers that Fox did not create the allegations against the company. They also argue that the news...