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One of the electronics companies that helped supply voting machines to the 2020 election, Smartmatic, filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News, several of its popular personalities, as well as Rudy Giuliani and several other prominent Donald Trump associates.
The suit names "Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro; and Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell" as defendants who have harmed Smartmatic's image with conspiracy theories.
The opening to the lawsuit has gained significant online attention.
It reads:
"The Earth is round. Two plus two equals four. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 election for President and Vice President of the United States. The election was not stolen, rigged, or fixed. These are facts."
Smartmatic CEO Antonio Mugica issued a statement online, writing:
"Fox is responsible for this disinformation campaign, which has damaged democracy worldwide and irreparably harmed Smartmatic and other stakeholders who contribute to modern elections."
Most of Smartmatic's business comes from Europe, and the only U.S. area to consistently use the company's services is Los Angeles, California.
Despite this, the company became embroiled in countless far-right conspiracy theories that claimed Smartmatic machines were part of a plot to steal the election, often with the help of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Fox issued a statement defending themselves, saying:
"FOX News Media is committed to providing the full context of every story with in-depth reporting and clear opinion. We are proud of our 2020 election coverage and will vigorously defend this meritless lawsuit in court."
Smartmatic's lawsuit identifies 13 instances when the defendants claimed Smartmatic machines were used to "rig" the vote.
This lie was spread despite Trump's own cybersecurity officials describing the election as "the most secure in American history."
The Smartmatic lawsuit goes on to say:
"Without any true villain, Defendants invented one. In their story, Smartmatic was a Venezuelan company under the control of corrupt dictators from socialist countries."
If Fox News hosts and Rudy Giuliani don't feel obligated to tell the truth, perhaps this threat to their pocketbooks might encourage them to take facts a little more seriously in the future.