Overview

• The lawsuit entered a critical phase this week as both Smartmatic and Fox News filed motions for summary judgment, with Smartmatic formally opposing Fox’s request to dismiss the case before trial.
• Smartmatic’s recent filings disclose internal Fox emails and texts in which executives labeled election fraud allegations as "crazy" and "mindblowingly nuts" while the network continued to air them.
• The company emphasized its pre-2020 status as a nearly $3 billion global business to argue that Fox’s coverage inflicted widespread reputational and financial harm.
• Smartmatic cited Dominion Voting Systems’ 2023 $787.5 million settlement to underscore a judicial finding that similar false statements were defamatory and unprotected by the First Amendment.
• Fox News maintains that its reporting fell under free press protections and disputes Smartmatic’s portrayal, asserting that the company lacked viable profits and that no legal basis for liability exists.