Dominion Voting Systems has filed defamation suits against conservative networks Newsmax and OAN, as well as Overstock founder Patrick Byrne, over claims made about the 2020 presidential election.
Dominion has previously targeted vocal supporters of Donald Trump like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, lawyer Sidney Powell, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, blaming all of them for conspiracy theories involving Dominion Voting Systems machines being manipulated in one way or another to rig the election in Joe Biden’s favor. Dominion has also filed a suit against Fox News. There has yet to be any official proof of widespread fraud in the election, despite continued claims by Trump and others.
Newsmax and OAN, Dominion claims in its $1.6 billion defamation suits, “helped create and cultivate an alternate reality where up is down, pigs have wings, and Dominion engaged in a colossal fraud to steal the presidency from Donald Trump by rigging the vote.” OAN anchors Chanel Rion and Christina Bobb were specifically listed in the suit against the network.
The networks floated conspiracy theories that could be easily disproved, the company argued, and it gave platforms to the loudest voices dubbing the election fraudulent, such as Giuliani and Powell. Newsmax – which was sued in Delaware state court and not in federal court, like OAN and Byrne – “created an entire brand” out of going after Dominion, the suit adds, citing a segment by host Greg Kelly called ‘Democracy or Dominion’.
OAN was called to task for airing similar segments, as well as hosting the premiere of Lindell’s documentary ‘Absolute Proof,’ a much-maligned film claiming the election was stolen and Dominion machines were manipulated.
Dominion attorney Thomas Clare called out the network for showing a “barely legible” legal disclaimer before the movie, distancing themselves from its more outlandish claims.
“OAN was fully aware that Lindell's ‘docu-movie’ was full of lies, but – like Fox News, Newsmax, and others – was content to deceive its viewers in exchange for ad dollars,” the lawyer said in the new suit.
Byrne has also been accused by the company of promoting “fake evidence to convince the world that the 2020 election had been stolen.”
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