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Smartmatic Settles OAN Defamation Lawsuit Over Election Fraud Claims

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted April 17, 2024

Smartmatic, a voting technology company, has settled its defamation lawsuit against the right-wing broadcaster One America News Network (OAN).

The settlement resolves allegations OAN disseminated false information about Smartmatic's involvement in election fraud during the 2020 presidential election.

The lawsuit was initially filed by Smartmatic in 2021.

It claimed OAN falsely accused the company of rigging the election through its voting machines.

These allegations were part of a broader narrative promoted by some supporters of former President Donald Trump following his election defeat.

According to the lawsuit, OAN aimed to boost its viewership by broadcasting these unfounded claims, directly competing with Fox News for an audience.

On Tuesday, April 16, Smartmatic's legal team filed a request in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be reopened.

The terms of the settlement between the two parties remain confidential.

OAN was established by Herring Networks in 2013 and has expressed strong support for Mr. Trump.

It has faced significant repercussions following its controversial election coverage.

The network was dropped by major carriers like DirecTV and Verizon Fios in 2022.

Conservative media outlets face legal headaches

This settlement is part of a larger pattern of legal challenges facing conservative media outlets regarding their 2020 election coverage.

Dominion Voting Systems, another election technology company, has also filed lawsuits against several media outlets, including OAN, which continues to deal with a defamation claim from Dominion.

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These legal battles have seen other significant developments.

For instance, Fox News settled a lawsuit with Dominion last April, agreeing to pay $787.5 million on the day the trial began, marking one of the largest defamation settlements ever.

Smartmatic is in ongoing litigation against Fox News, seeking damages of at least $2.7 billion.

A trial is expected in 2025.

Smartmatic and Dominion are also pursuing defamation cases against Newsmax for similar reasons.

These lawsuits are scheduled for trial in Delaware Superior Court this September under Judge Eric Davis, who previously presided over the Dominion versus Fox News trial.

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