Fox lawsuit claims Murdoch, others knew 2020 election fraud story was false

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Fox election fraud lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Robert Schwarz filed a lawsuit against Fox News Network, its owner Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, and other Fox Corp. directors. 
• Why: Schwartz claims Fox harmed shareholders by promoting a false narrative that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from Donald Trump, despite allegedly knowing it was “really crazy stuff.” 
• Where: The lawsuit was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. 
• What are my options: Check out the fuboTV streaming platform as an alternative to Fox.
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Fox News Network and its owner Rupert Murdoch harmed investors by allowing the station to broadcast a false narrative claiming the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent, a new lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Robert Schwarz claims Fox, along with Murdoch, his son Lachlan, and other Fox Corp. directors allowed an unfounded election fraud storyline to be perpetuated by the network as a way to maintain ratings, reports Law360.  

Schwarz reportedly argues Fox and Murdoch’s decision to continue running with the election fraud story — despite allegedly knowing it was not true — harmed shareholders by adversely impacting the network’s credibility. 

Fox is also now facing damages that could exceed $4 billion as a result of a defamation lawsuit filed against the network by Dominion Voting Systems, which had been accused of playing a role in the alleged election fraud, reports Law360. 

Fox hosts and executives knew election fraud claims were ‘really crazy stuff,’ says suit

Court filings and testimony reportedly made public from the defamation case shows Fox hosts and executives knew the election fraud allegations were “really crazy stuff,” but broadcast them anyway, the Fox lawsuit alleges. 

Schwartz argues Fox directors, meanwhile, breached their fiduciary duties to the network by allegedly not implementing a system of internal controls and turning a blind eye to  “numerous red flags” surrounding the election fraud claims. 

Viewership for Fox News dropped 37% in the days following the election after then-President Donald Trump urged viewers to boycott the network after it was the first to report he had lost the state of Arizona, according to the Fox lawsuit, reports Law360. 

In January, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a fine of $504,000 against Fox for allegedly airing false emergency alert tones live on air during a promo for its NFL coverage.

Do you believe Fox was wrong to promote the 2020 election fraud narrative? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by James S. Notis and Meagan A. Farmer of Gardy & Notis LLP, and Kurt M. Heyman and Gillian L. Andrews of Heyman Enerio Gattuso & Hirzel LLP.

The Fox election fraud lawsuit is Schwarz v. K. Rupert Murdoch, et al., Case No. 2023-04184, in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. 

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