Judge Allows Fox News to Proceed with Counterclaim in Smartmatic Defamation Suit

Fox News is pursuing a counterclaim against Smartmatic in response to the $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit, challenging the damages claim and asserting that it aims to stifle the network's free speech rights. A judge ruled in favor of Fox News, allowing the counterclaim to proceed, and also stated that the settled defamation case with Dominion Voting Systems cannot be the basis of a malice claim. The lawsuit stems from false statements made about Smartmatic's role in the 2020 election, and if a settlement is not reached, the case is expected to go to trial next year.