A Delaware judge ruled on Wednesday that Newsmax Media made false and defamatory statements about Dominion Voting Systems in its coverage of the 2020 election. However, the ruling is only a partial victory for Dominion, as a jury will still decide whether Newsmax should be held financially responsible for damages in a trial set to begin on April 28 in Wilmington.
Judge Eric Davis of the Delaware Superior Court determined that Newsmax’s claims about Dominion being involved in election fraud, rigging votes through algorithms, being linked to Venezuela, paying bribes to government officials, and being connected to voting irregularities in Dallas were false and defamatory. This ruling moves Dominion’s $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit forward, but the company must still prove that Newsmax acted with “actual malice”—meaning they either knew the statements were false or showed reckless disregard for the truth.
In response to the ruling, a Dominion representative expressed satisfaction with the decision, calling it a significant step in the case. Newsmax, on the other hand, defended its coverage, stating that it had provided a fair portrayal of both sides of the election and argued that the case posed a threat to free speech and the press.
The ruling came as Newsmax’s stock took a hit, dropping more than 10% by the end of the trading day, despite the broader stock market seeing one of its largest rallies in years. Newsmax had recently made a successful debut on the New York Stock Exchange, raising $75 million through an initial public offering (IPO) last month.
Dominion filed the defamation lawsuit against Newsmax in 2021 after the conservative news outlet broadcasted claims that Dominion voting machines had stolen the election from then-President Donald Trump, who had lost to President Joe Biden. Trump had repeatedly claimed, without presenting credible evidence, that the election had been rigged.
The legal battle continues, and Dominion must now demonstrate that Newsmax’s false statements were made with the intention of damaging its reputation. Last year, Newsmax also settled a similar defamation case with Smartmatic, another voting machine company, for $40 million.
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