Judge Denies Fox News' Attempt to Subpoena George Soros in Smartmatic Defamation Case

Fox sought to establish a connection between Soros and voting technology company Smartmatic as part of its defense in a defamation suit, but the court ruled the matter "peripheral" to the case's core claim of election rigging allegations.

• A New York Supreme Court judge denied Fox News' attempt to subpoena George Soros in relation to the ongoing defamation case with electronic voting company, Smartmatic. Fox News sought to establish ties between Soros and Smartmatic as part of its defense, claiming that Smartmatic's lawsuit against them was only an effort to attract investors and impede the network's right to free speech.
• Smartmatic initiated legal action against Fox News in 2020, claiming defamation due to the network's spreading of a conspiracy theory asserting that Smartmatic was involved in rigging the presidential elections.
• Fox Corp. and Fox News filed subpoenas for both Soros and his son, Alex Soros, in connection to the 2020 election case, invoking statements made on the network by Trump campaign attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell.
• New York Supreme Court Justice David B. Cohen refused the subpoena request, deeming it a 'peripheral matter' and clarifying that the core of Smartmatic's claims are Fox's allegations of them partaking in election rigging, not their supposed association with Soros.
• Despite the court's denial, a Fox News Media spokesperson released a statement stating their satisfaction that the 'counsel for Soros and Smartmatic conceded during the hearing today that there are connections between Smartmatic and Soros.'

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