Fox News host Sean Hannity has admitted under oath that he knew former President Donald Trump had lost the 2020 election, despite continuing to promote Trump’s false claims of Election fraud. Hannity’s admission came during a deposition for a Defamation lawsuit filed against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems, the company at the center of many of Trump’s baseless claims.
During the deposition, Hannity was asked if he believed Trump’s claims that Dominion had rigged the election against him. Hannity responded, “I did not believe it for one second.” He went on to say that he had “never seen any evidence” to support Trump’s claims.
Hannity’s admission is significant because he was one of Trump’s most vocal supporters and frequently used his platform on Fox News to amplify the former president’s false claims. In the aftermath of the election, Hannity repeatedly promoted Conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud and suggested that Trump had been cheated out of victory.
Dominion Voting Systems filed its defamation lawsuit against Fox News and several of its hosts, including Hannity, in March 2021. The company alleges that Fox News and its hosts spread false information about Dominion in an effort to boost ratings and cater to their conservative audience.
The lawsuit seeks more than $1.6 billion in damages and accuses Fox News of engaging in a “disinformation campaign” against Dominion. The company argues that Fox News knew the election claims were false but continued to promote them anyway.
Hannity’s admission during the deposition is a blow to Fox News’ defense in the lawsuit. The network has argued that its hosts, including Hannity, were simply exercising their right to free speech and expressing their opinions. However, Hannity’s admission that he did not believe Trump’s election claims undermines that argument.
Dominion Voting Systems has also filed defamation lawsuits against other prominent figures and media outlets, including Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell. The company is seeking billions of dollars in damages in those lawsuits as well.
As the legal battles continue, Hannity’s admission serves as a reminder of the role that media outlets and personalities played in spreading baseless election Conspiracy theories. It also raises questions about the responsibility of journalists and broadcasters to verify and fact-check the information they present to their audiences.
Fox News has not yet commented on Hannity’s admission or its potential impact on the defamation lawsuit. The network has previously defended its coverage of the 2020 election and argued that it provided balanced reporting on the issue. The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of the network and its hosts.
Original Story at www.gpb.org – 2022-12-22 08:00:00
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