Fox News has confirmed an 11th–hour settlement between the network and Dominion Voting Systems after the latter had accused the former of repeating false conspiracy theories regarding Donald Trump‘s defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
Under the settlement, Fox News has agreed to pay Dominion an eye–watering $787.5 million.
The spotlight has now shifted to Fox‘s former host Dan Bongino who recently parted ways with the network. Questions are being raised over the timing of the settlement and the coinciding of Bongino‘s abrupt departure. Fox News has been at the center of accusations of spreading false information regarding the US 2020 Presidential Election. In December 2020, Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox News media for the transmission of false statements.
Meanwhile, former Fox host Dan Bongino departed from the network on April 5th in the midst of the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.
In a statement, Fox News wished their former host well: ‘We thank Dan for his contributions and wish him success in his future endeavors.’ In March 2021, Fox announced that Bongino had been signed to host a weekend program, Unfiltered with Dan Bongino.
The show‘s final episode aired on April 3rd and drew 1.18 million viewers and ranked as the highest–rated primetime show of the day. But speaking to his show on Tuesday morning, the political commentator said he was not ‘thrown out‘ of the restaurant and that he was in fact defending his wife Paula.
Bongino said they had been out for his friend‘s birthday and that a man started ‘bear hugging‘ Paula and carrying her out, which he believes was due to a misunderstanding over the queue for the restroom. It is unclear what led to Paula‘s removal, though Bongino disputes the Politico narrative that he was thrown out, saying, ‘That‘s an absolutely FASCINATING take on what really happened. Does Politico support physical violence against women?’
Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson said in a news conference that Fox is paying $787,500,000 to settle the defamation case, a number which he says ‘represents vindication and accountability.’
Bongino said, ‘the timing‘s not great‘, regarding his departure coinciding with the settlement news.
Prior to his political career, Bongino worked in the NYPD and then the US Secret Service as a special agent. He now lives in Palm City, Florida, with his wife Paula and their two daughters. Fox News is yet to comment on the claims, but their payment domain of $ 787.5 million suggests they have taken full responsibility for their part in the false accusations surrounding the election results.
With conspiracy theories surrounding the election ongoing, and the ongoing claims against Fox, only time will tell if the settlement will draw a much-needed line between truth and fiction.