Smartmatic, a voting technology company, has issued a subpoena to former Attorney General Bill Barr in its $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News. The subpoena demands that Barr hand over any communications he had with the right-wing television channel’s personalities, executives, and owners. Smartmatic specifically seeks any communication Barr had with Fox News employees regarding the 2020 election, the Trump campaign, or Smartmatic after January 1, 2020. The subpoena also requires Barr to produce similar communication he may have had with Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, the owners of Fox News’ parent company, and Rudy Giuliani, who is a co-defendant in the same lawsuit. Additionally, the subpoena demands any documents or communication Barr provided to the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
Representatives for Smartmatic did not respond to requests for comment about the subpoena, while Barr declined to comment to CNN. However, the information from Barr, who publicly contradicted former President Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud, could further support Smartmatic’s case that Fox News knowingly broadcasted false information about the company. Fox News has vehemently denied defaming Smartmatic, arguing that the First Amendment protects its decision to air remarks by Trump surrogates questioning the integrity of election results.
Earlier this year, a New York judge rejected Fox News’ motion to dismiss Smartmatic’s defamation lawsuit, allowing the case to proceed to discovery. This move to subpoena Barr follows a similar action by Dominion Voting Systems, another election technology company, in its separate case against Fox News.
By subpoenaing Barr, Smartmatic aims to gather evidence that demonstrates Fox News’ knowledge of broadcasting false information about the company. This evidence could strengthen Smartmatic’s case and potentially lead to a successful outcome in the defamation lawsuit. The legal battle between Smartmatic and Fox News highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding the 2020 election and the spread of misinformation. As the case moves forward, it will likely continue to fuel discussions about the responsibility of media outlets in disseminating accurate information to the public.
Original Story at www.cnn.com – 2022-07-29 07:00:00