Voting technology firm, conservative outlet reach settlement in 2020 election defamation case
CTV
A settlement was reached Thursday in a defamation lawsuit brought by electronic voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic against conservative news outlet Newsmax for airing accusations about vote manipulation in the 2020 election made by allies of former U.S. president Donald Trump.
A settlement was reached Thursday in a defamation lawsuit brought by electronic voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic against conservative news outlet Newsmax for airing accusations about vote manipulation in the 2020 election made by allies of former U.S. president Donald Trump.
The settlement was announced just a few hours after jury selection began in the lawsuit filed by Florida-based Smartmatic against Newsmax.
Smartmatic claimed that Newsmax program hosts and guests made false and defamatory statements in November and December 2020 implying that Smartmatic participated in rigging the results and that its software was used to switch votes.
Newsmax argued that it was simply reporting on newsworthy allegations being made by Trump and his supporters, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and conservative attorney Sidney Powell. Newsmax has said the lawsuit represented a threat to freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
"Newsmax is pleased to announce it has resolved the litigation brought by Smartmatic through a confidential settlement," Newsmax said in a prepared statement.
Smartmatic said in a prepared statement that it was pleased the case against Newsmax had been completed.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Newsmax has said Smartmatic recently dropped its damages claims by more than US$1 billion.
