The much-anticipated start to the trial in Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News has been delayed by one day, reportedly for a last-ditch effort to strike a settlement.
In a statement released late on Sunday, Judge Eric Davis said, “The Court has decided to continue the start of the trial, including jury selection, until Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. I will make such an announcement tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 7E.”
In court on Monday, Davis said, “This is not unusual, I have not gone through a trial that has not had a delay of some kind,” The Hill reports.
According to anonymous Washington Post sources, the judge granted the extra 24 hours to allow the warring sides a final chance to forge a settlement deal.
And sources for the Wall Street Journal said it was Fox News that “made a late push to settle the dispute.”
As American Wire News reported, at issue is whether Fox News should be held financially responsible for alleged “false” claims it made after the 2020 elections in which the network reportedly suggested that Dominion’s voting machines rigged the race in favor of Joe Biden.
To win their case, Dominion must prove that Fox News acted with intended malice when they aired their claims.
'Malice? You betcha': O'Reilly, Levin sound off on Dominion Voting lawsuit, 'biased clown show' judgehttps://t.co/h9zdt7Cosj
— American Wire News (@americanwire_) April 17, 2023
While proving malice may be a high bar, former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly stated that “every single corporate news agency in America has already convicted FNC and is openly rooting for the Delaware jury to do the same.”
In a recent statement, Fox News suggested that “cherished First Amendment rights” were on the line.
“Dominion’s lawsuit is a political crusade in search of a financial windfall, but the real cost would be cherished First Amendment rights,” the network said. “While Dominion has pushed irrelevant and misleading information to generate headlines, FOX News remains steadfast in protecting the rights of a free press, given a verdict for Dominion and its private equity owners would have grave consequences for the entire journalism profession.”
As the clock neared midnight on Sunday, former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social and urged Fox News to “admit” that the 2020 election was rigged.
“IF FOX WOULD FINALLY ADMIT THAT THERE WAS LARGE SCALE CHEATING & IRREGULARITIES IN THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, WHICH WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THEM, & FOR AMERICA, THE CASE AGAINST THEM, WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE EXISTED AT ALL, WOULD BE GREATLY WEAKENED,” he wrote in all caps. “BACK UP THOSE PATRIOTS AT FOX INSTEAD OF THROWING THEM UNDER THE BUS – & THEY ARE RIGHT! THERE IS SOOO MUCH PROOF, LIKE MASS BALLOT STUFFING CAUGHT ON GOVERNMENT CAMERAS, FBI COLLUDING WITH TWITTER & FACEBOOK, STATE LEGISLATURES NOT USED, etc.”
On Monday morning, Trump again addressed the trial, urging Rupert Murdoch to “tell the truth.”
“FOX NEWS IS IN BIG TROUBLE IF THEY DO NOT EXPOSE THE TRUTH ON CHEATING IN THE 2020 ELECTION,” he stated. “THEY SHOULD DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR AMERICA.”
“WHEN RUPERT MURDOCH SAYS THAT THERE WAS NO CHEATING IN LIGHT OF THE MASSIVE PROOF THAT WAS THERE, IT IS RIDICULOUS AND VERY HARMFUL TO THE FOX CASE,” the GOP 2024 primary frontrunner continued. “PERHAPS HE SHOULD SAY THAT ‘HE JUST DIDN’T KNOW,’ BUT THAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE. RUPERT, JUST TELL THE TRUTH AND GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN.”
“THE ELECTION OF 2020 WAS RIGGED AND STOLLEN [sic]…” Trump asserted. “YOU KNOW IT, & SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE!”
Over on Twitter, the liberal left is praying Dominion doesn’t settle.
And who better to make the vengeance-seeking case for going to trial than Keith Olbermann?
“DOMINION! DON’T SETTLE!” he implored the company. “Like everybody else who’s worked for Murdoch, dated Ingraham, and was asked to co-host a show with Tucker I need to see them WEEP UNDER OATH ON THE STAND!”
https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/1647814418170888192?s=20
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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