Adam Schiff, the California Democratic Congressman who is also now running for Senate in his home state, joined those criticizing the actions of Fox News after Dominion Voting Systems released troves of communications showing top individuals there were doubtful or outright dismissive of lies about the 2020 election that nonetheless went on the air.
“Fox News hosts pushed a big lie about our election that undermined the foundation of our democracy and got people killed in a failed insurrection,” Schiff said on Twitter Friday. “And they knew exactly what they were doing. Why did they do it? The same reason they pushed deadly lies about the pandemic. Money.” And now, Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages. Unlike with the massive financial penalties imposed on the far-right commentator Alex Jones for his lies about the circumstances of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, the assets on hand at the Fox Corporation seemingly surpass that total, suggesting at least a bit more feasibility in achieving the plaintiff’s desired penalties.
(Jones became ensnared in disputed bankruptcy proceedings in which a company he and his parents controlled, at least as of the point such info was available, was seeking what would amount to priority over the Sandy Hook families in dealing with lingering debts.)
Dominion, a company that makes equipment for use in elections, is suing Fox for defamation, and the trial starts not too far in the future, according to current scheduling. In new materials highlighted by The New York Times, which has itself argued in court for the release of more of the materials and arguments assembled by Dominion, Fox hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham were texting with each other in sharply critical terms of Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, two allies to Trump, just weeks after the 2020 election. Rupert Murdoch, whose Fox Corporation will be going on trial with Fox News itself, was also concerned, calling claims Trump made about what happened “crazy” and expressing thanks to Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott for providing staff with an article from the New York Post pushing back on Trump’s claims. It was aired anyway. The discrepancy could help Dominion with proving actual malice, rather than just ordinary reporting, was involved.
Fox News hosts pushed a big lie about our election that undermined the foundation of our democracy and got people killed in a failed insurrection.
And they knew exactly what they were doing.
Why did they do it? The same reason they pushed deadly lies about the pandemic.
Money.
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) February 17, 2023
