Dominion Secures $67M Settlement From Newsmax Over 2020 Election Claims

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

Newsmax agreed to pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems, closing the book on one of the last major defamation lawsuits stemming from false claims about the 2020 US presidential election.

Dominion initially sought $1.6 billion in damages, but the parties agreed to resolve the case for a fraction of that amount, to be paid by Newsmax over three years.

The lawsuit was based on allegations that the network had broadcast claims suggesting Dominion's voting technology was manipulated to benefit Joe Biden over Donald Trump.

The settlement comes nearly four years after Dominion filed a lawsuit against the Boca Raton, Florida-based conservative cable network. 

Dominion, a Denver-based voting technology company, previously secured a record $787 million settlement from Fox News over similar 2020 election claims. The Newsmax case was set for trial in October before the agreement was reached

In a statement, Newsmax maintained that its reporting was not defamatory and said its coverage met accepted journalistic standards. 

The company cited a series of court rulings it described as unfair, including a judge’s decision that Newsmax had committed defamation per se and restrictions on what evidence could be presented to a jury.

Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy called the proceedings “a direct attack on free speech and a free press,” but said the settlement allows the network to move forward without disruption to its operations or growth plans.

Dominion, for its part, said it was pleased to have settled the lawsuit.

The agreement marks another significant chapter in the legal fallout from the 2020 election, as news organizations continue to grapple with the consequences of airing unsubstantiated claims about voting systems and election integrity.