Newsmax and Smartmatic settle defamation case over 2020 election
- Smartmatic filed a defamation lawsuit against Newsmax in 2021, alleging the network spread false claims about the 2020 election.
- As jury selection began, both parties reached a confidential settlement, avoiding a trial that could have lasted several weeks.
- This case highlights ongoing legal actions against media outlets for misinformation related to the 2020 election and could have significant financial consequences for Newsmax.
Smartmatic, a voting technology company, and Newsmax, a conservative cable network, reached a confidential settlement in a defamation lawsuit concerning false claims about the 2020 election. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court in 2021, accused Newsmax of broadcasting baseless allegations that Smartmatic's technology was involved in election fraud to sway the results in favor of President Joe Biden. As jury selection began, both parties opted to settle, avoiding a trial that could have lasted up to four weeks. The terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, but it follows a pattern of similar lawsuits related to the 2020 election, including a previous settlement between Smartmatic and One America News. Smartmatic has also initiated legal action against Fox News, indicating ongoing efforts to hold media outlets accountable for spreading misinformation. The case against Newsmax was particularly significant as it would have marked the first instance of a jury evaluating whether a cable news network made defamatory statements about a voting technology company in the context of the election. The outcome of this case could have had substantial financial implications for Newsmax, which faced potential damages in the millions if it had lost.