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Newsmax, the US television network, has reached a settlement of $67 million (£50 million) in a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems. The suit stemmed from false claims broadcast by Newsmax alleging the company rigged the 2020 US election against then-President Donald Trump.
Dominion, which initiated the legal action in 2021, asserted that Newsmax disseminated “verifiably false lies” following President Joe Biden’s victory, resulting in “devastating economic harm” to the voting machine firm.
The conservative network announced the settlement on Monday, while maintaining that its coverage of the election was fair and balanced.
Dominion, which had sought $1.6 billion in damages, expressed its satisfaction with the resolution. The Denver-based company filed similar lawsuits against other entities in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis had previously ruled that Newsmax did defame Dominion in its coverage.
However, Judge Davis stipulated that a jury would determine whether Newsmax acted with malice and the appropriate amount of damages to be awarded. The trial was scheduled to commence in October.
Newsmax stated that it chose to settle the case, arguing that the proceedings were conducted unfairly.
“From the very beginning, Judge Davis ruled in ways that strongly favored the plaintiffs and limited Newsmax’s ability to defend itself,” the network said in a statement.
Newsmax alleged that a “pattern of judicial rulings” denied the network due process and “left the company to believe it would not receive a fair trial.”
The Delaware Superior Court declined to comment on the matter.
Newsmax affirmed that it stands by its coverage of the 2020 election, stating that it believed it was “critically important for the American people to hear both sides of the election disputes.”
Notably, Newsmax also paid $40 million last year to settle a defamation lawsuit from Smartmatic, another voting machine company.
In 2023, Fox News reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion over similar allegations that the network amplified false claims about the vote being rigged against Trump.
Following the 2020 election, falsehoods regarding the vote being stolen from President Trump were widely disseminated.
Trump publicly attacked Dominion after the election, falsely alleging that the company rigged the election to favor President Biden.
Accusations included claims of vote deletion and improper influence over the company by Trump’s political opponents.
Newsmax has outlined that the payments to Dominion will be made in three installments, commencing with a $27 million payment made on Friday.
An additional $20 million payment is scheduled for January 15, 2025, with the final installment due on January 15, 2027. The company has stated that the payments will be funded from its revenue.
Shares of Newsmax rose approximately 15% on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday following the settlement announcement.
On Monday, Trump stated on social media that he would move to eliminate mail-in ballots and “seriously controversial” voting machines, without specifying voting machines from any particular company.
Republican lawmakers are expected to quickly pass new voting maps, but Democrats still say they were victorious in the standoff.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky managed to avoid another disastrous Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump.
The American-British dual-national is one of five people who were charged with supplying ketamine to the actor.
The move comes as the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown of which international students have been a focus.
Ukraine’s president and other European leaders met at the White House to talk peace.
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