Fox News is headed for trial once again as a New York court has upheld a ruling allowing Smartmatic to move forward with its substantial defamation lawsuit. Smartmatic is pursuing more than $2 billion in damages, alleging that Fox News knowingly aired false information regarding its voting technology during the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. The New York appellate court decided against a bid from Fox Corp to dismiss the lawsuit, confirming earlier decisions that deemed the case sufficiently grounded to proceed to trial (The Hill).

The allegations date back to the period following the election, when Fox hosts echoed the claims of election fraud spearheaded by then-President Donald Trump and his supporters. Smartmatic's suit contends the network disseminated these unfounded assertions to retain its viewership, claiming damages from a manufactured narrative that suggested its technology was involved in sabotaging the re-election bid of Trump. Unlike other voting technology companies, Smartmatic's tools were only utilized in Los Angeles County during the 2020 election, which has led it to argue that its contracts and reputation were severely harmed by Fox's unfounded claims (NPR).

Leading up to this trial, Fox has previously settled another significant defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems in April 2023, paying $787.5 million to resolve claims that it too was defamed in the discourse surrounding the 2020 election. The outfall of these cases includes extensive revelations from internal communications within Fox, revealing that various network personalities and executives were aware that Biden had won the election fairly. Yet, they opted to broadcast claims of fraud to appease their audience's allegiance to Trump (The Hill). Smartmatic's lead attorney has expressed confidence in the evidence they intend to present, stating, "Fox Corporation attempted, and failed, to have this case dismissed, and it must now answer for its actions at trial."

With the trial on the horizon, Fox has signaled its readiness to counter Smartmatic's allegations, dismissing the damages claims as overstated and disconnected from reality. As the legal battle unfolds, the implications for Fox News could be substantial, especially given its recent history with other defamation claims tied to the 2020 election narratives.

For more detailed information, refer to the original articles from The Hill and NPR.