The weasels avoided a jury trial after all:
Fox News agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems on Tuesday for $787.5 million, according to an attorney for the voting technology company, representing a stunning conclusion to one of the most-watched media trials in decades. The judge dismissed jurors just hours after they had been selected. Dominion sued for $1.6 billion over allegations that Fox defamed the voting company by either knowingly or recklessly airing false claims tying voting machines to a conspiracy to undermine the 2020 presidential election. Some of Fox’s biggest stars and executives were expected to testify in the trial that was expected to test the limits of U.S. libel law.
Dominion's CEO had this reaction to the settlement:
After reaching a settlement against Fox News, Dominion CEO John Paulos told reporters outside a courthouse in Delaware that “Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion that caused enormous damage to my company, our employees and the customers that we serve.”
In a statement, Dominion said the settlement was “historic.” The statement also repeated the claim that “Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion that caused enormous damage to my Company, our employees, and our customers.”
But, there's still more accountability coming, according to Dominion lawyer Stephen Shackleford:
Dominion attorney Stephen Shackelford hinted at more litigation regarding election conspiracy theories, citing challenges Dominion employees still face over election misinformation.
“Money is accountability, and we got that today from Fox, but we’re not done yet. We’ve got some other people who have some accountability coming toward them,” he said. “And we’ll move right on to the next one.”
This could refer to individuals like Rudy Giuliani, Mein Pillow guy Mike Lindell, and others, who spread lies while on the air at Fox "News."
Keep in mind also that the $2.7 billion defamation suit brought by Smartmatic is proceeding:
Fox News’s legal troubles related to the 2020 presidential election are far from over, despite its settlement with Dominion Voting Systems announced Tuesday afternoon. In February, a New York appeals court ruled that a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News by another voting systems company — Smartmatic — was allowed to proceed.
After Fox News’s settlement with Dominion was announced Tuesday, Smartmatic attorney J. Erik Connolly released a blistering statement.
“Dominion’s litigation exposed some of the misconduct and damage caused by Fox’s disinformation campaign. Smartmatic will expose the rest,” Connolly said. “Smartmatic remains committed to clearing its name, recouping the significant damage done to the company, and holding Fox accountable for undermining democracy.”
Smartmatic filed its complaint in New York State Supreme Court in February 2021, alleging that lies broadcast on Fox News about the company “decimated” its business. In addition to Fox News, the complaint named Fox’s on-air hosts Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs and Jeanine Pirro, as well as Donald Trump’s former lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell.
Finally, we heard a smarmy, self- serving statement from Fox, an organization that continues to provide lies to its audience as a matter of doing business (our emphasis):
In a statement, Fox said it was “pleased” to have settled the case. “We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false,” it said, adding the settlement “reflects FOX’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards. We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues.”
Tapper while reading a statement from Fox: The settlement reflects— I’m sorry, this is going to be difficult to say with a straight face.. this settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards pic.twitter.com/vjUqf08RlI
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 18, 2023
BONUS: Jimmy Kimmel had his take on the settlement deal (starting around 3:00)--
“The liars who knowingly misled their oatmeal-brained viewers and seriously damaged our democracy don’t have to say anything about it at all ― no apologies, no testimony. They can go right back to sodomizing the country while Dominion and their lawyers go shopping for yachts.”
