If Dominion Voting Systems ever wants to do business in Texas, they will first have to answer some questions from Gov. Greg Abbott about Tucker Carlson’s shocking departure from Fox News.
According to a recent Axios scoop, Fox News may have breached its contract with its most popular host when it broke promises it made to not settle with Dominion Voting Systems “in a way which would indicate wrongdoing” on Carlson’s part “and not to take any actions in a settlement that would harm Carlson’s reputation.”
SCOOP: Tucker Carlson, two weeks after being ousted by Fox News, accused the network Tuesday of fraud and breach of contract — and made a host of document demands that could precede legal action. https://t.co/vZfHCv3jYY
— Axios (@axios) May 9, 2023
Two sources familiar with the matter told Axios that a member of the Fox board informed Carlson that he was yanked from the airwaves as part of the $785.5 million defamation settlement with Dominion.
A Fox News spokesperson denied the claim, calling it “categorically false,” but Abbott isn’t convinced.
“If the public reporting is accurate that Dominion Voting Systems demanded that Tucker Carlson be fired as part of a litigation settlement,” he wrote on Twitter, “then I am happy that Dominion does not operate in Texas, and I don’t think that they should do so in the future.”
“We may disagree with other’s positions,” the governor said, “but we should never try to improperly silence views contrary to our own.”
Before voters in the Lone Star State cast their ballots on a Dominion system, he said, the company will need to answer a few questions.
“If Dominion wants to do business with Texas in the future, they should first answer questions about what role, if any, they played in silencing a prominent conservative journalist,” he stated. “The answers to those questions, and other factors, should guide whether we want them to operate here.”
If the public reporting is accurate that Dominion Voting Systems demanded that Tucker Carlson be fired as part of a litigation settlement, then I am happy that Dominion does not operate in Texas, and I don’t think that they should do so in the future. We may disagree with other’s…
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 13, 2023
As BizPac Review reported, Fox News lawyers fired off a letter to Dominion earlier this month, demanding the company launch an internal probe after the network learned that documents, including redacted text messages, that it provided as part of the recent lawsuit “were disclosed to media organizations and published for mass consumption.”
Fox News demands Dominion launch internal probe into leaks about Tucker Carlson post-settlement https://t.co/rw2uK9MN6X pic.twitter.com/QzS5cdNh9P
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) May 11, 2023
Attorneys for Fox pressed Dominion officials to “investigate and confirm that you are not the source of these improper disclosures.”
One such string of texts indicated that Carlson wanted to leave Fox.
Upset over the network’s early call for Biden in Arizona during the 2020 election, Carlson reportedly wrote to fellow Fox News host Jesse Watters in December 2020, lamenting that he is “stuck with Fox.”
“‘I’ve got four more years here,” he texted Watters. “I’m stuck with Fox. Got to do whatever I can to keep our numbers up and our viewers happy.”
“Wish I knew where to run,” Carlson allegedly wrote. “But I’ll die here.”
Texts indicate Tucker wanted out at Fox News: ‘Wish I knew where to run. But I’ll die here’ https://t.co/BVIgLZUJtV pic.twitter.com/QLjSPtivuV
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) May 11, 2023
Last week, Carson blew up Twitter when he announced he will be taking his show to the social media platform.
“We’re back,” Carlson wrote in a tweet that has since been viewed nearly 129 million times.
‘We’re back’: Tucker takes show to Twitter, goes after Fox with accusations of fraud and breach of contract https://t.co/UZYZ2Jd6D1 pic.twitter.com/TSUKQcxvbX
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) May 13, 2023
Regardless of whether Dominion had a hand in Carlson’s departure from Fox, Twitter users blasted Abbott for even considering under any circumstances allowing the company to operate in Texas.
“Dominion shouldn’t be allowed to operate anywhere within the United States!” one user told the governor.
“How about you go a bit further and remove all electronic tabulation machines and go back to paper ballots with ID requirements,” suggested another user. “Remove all potential points of failure or leverage from the most sensitive process this country conducts. Be the guy who turns the tide on this mess.”
And a third put it this way: “Dominion should NEVER be able to operate in Texas! Never.”
Dominion shouldn’t be allowed to operate anywhere within the United States!
— Michelle Maxwell (@MichelleMaxwell) May 13, 2023
How about you go a bit further and remove all electronic tabulation machines and go back to paper ballots with ID requirements. Remove all potential points of failure or leverage from the most sensitive process this country conducts. Be the guy who turns the tide on this mess.
— Chris G (@ThorsenOhrman) May 13, 2023
Dominion should NEVER be able to operate in Texas! Never.
— V for Vendetta (@abortionisdead) May 13, 2023
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