Smartmatic Files Lawsuit Against Fox News, Rudy Giuliani Over Election Rigging Claims
Rudy Giuliani speaks to the press about various lawsuits related to the 2020 election, inside the Republican National Committee headquarters on November 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump, who has not been seen publicly in several days, continues to push baseless claims about election fraud and dispute the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The voting machine company Smartmatic opened a legal battle against Fox News, its stars and well-known conspiracy theorist guests, and Rudy Giuliani with a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit.

"The Earth is round. Two plus two equals four. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 election for President and Vice President of the United States. The election was not stolen, rigged, or fixed. These are facts. They are demonstrable and irrefutable," the 276-page lawsuit reads as reported by Law & Crime.

Fox News' Alleged Disinformation Campaign

Named defendants under the lawsuit were Fox personalities Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro, and former President Donald Trump's lawyers Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani.

Smartmatic's CEO Antonio Mugica said that the company's lawsuit is a blow in the fight against disinformation, reiterating what Dominion Voting Systems' lawyers said about the purpose of the said lawsuit.

Mugica added that Fox is irresponsible for this disinformation campaign, which has damaged democracy worldwide. The company's CEO added that it irreparably harmed Smartmatic and other stakeholders who contribyte to modern elections.

J. Erik Connolly, the company's attorney, said that Fox lied and that they did so knowingly and intentionally.

Meanwhile, Fox News indicated in their statement that it would fight the lawsuit from the voting machine company, saying that they are committed to providing the full context of every story with in-depth reporting and clear opinion.

"We are proud of our 2020 election coverage and will vigorously defend this meritless lawsuit in court," Fox News Media was quoted on a report.

Election Rigged Claims

Fox News knowingly broadcast the falsehood that Smartmatic somehow stole the election 13 times in November and December 2020, according to the complaint. The claim was also repeated in articles and on social media.

Conspiracy theorists have also made allegation against Smartmatic without evidence, which includes that the company somehow altered votes in favor of Biden while working in cahoots with the voting system manufacturer Dominion Voting Systems, according to a Huff Post report.

Both companies have flatly denied the claim. Dominion was reported to have filed a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Giuliani last week.

Smartmatic previously sent retraction demands to Fox News, Newsmax, and One America News Network on Dec. 15, with a warning stating that noncompliance could lead to defamation lawsuit.

The complaint added that the story turned neighbor against neighbor and led a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol, according to The New York Times report.

The talk of election fraud has not fully died down even after the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 by a mob of Trump supporters.

The lawsuit also cites exchanges on Fox programs that it says helped spread the claim that it was the owner of Dominion and that it had provided its services to districts in contested states. In addition, the lawsuit noted that Fox helped promote the false notion that the company had sent votes to other countries to be manipulated.

Smartmatic added in its complaint that Fox broadcasting of false claims has jeopardized its business, damaged its election technology and software business, and made it difficult for the company to get new businesses in the U.S.