Legal Smackdown: Furious Judge Sanctions Fox News For Withholding Evidence Just Days Before Dominion's $1.6 Billion Defamation Trial
April 12 2023, Published 4:25 p.m. ET
A federal judge overseeing the Dominion Voting System claim against Fox News slapped the network with sanctions accusing its white shoe legal team of withholding evidence and not being “straightforward” with him in the $1.6 billion battle, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The irritated Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric M. Davis said he may appoint a special master to probe Fox’s handling of the discovery documents and the not-so-honest description of Rupert Murdoch’s decision-making role at the network as the owner.
“This is very serious,” said Judge Davis, who described the legal shenanigans as “misrepresentations to the court,” by Fox’s legal eagles.
With the jury trial set to start on April 17th, Judge Davis skewered Fox lawyers for failing to hand over crucial evidence in a timely manner – including a recording of host Maria Bartiromo chatting with former President Donald Trump’s lawyers – Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani.
Powell and Giuliani, who are also facing a Dominion defamation lawsuit in federal court, led the election conspiracy theory charge accusing the voting machine company of tilting the ballot count in favor of President Joe Biden.
“Fox will do everything they can to make the person available, and it will be at a cost to Fox,” the vexed Judge Davis said referring to possible new depositions by Dominion lawyers.
One Dominion lawyer told the judge they are still receiving discovery documents relevant to the trial.
“We keep on learning about more relevant information from individuals other than Fox,” Davida Brook said. “And to be honest we don’t really know what to do about that, but that is the situation we find ourselves in.”
maria bartiromo
The judge also slammed Fox News lawyers for being shifty in its attempt to save Murdoch from sitting on the witness stand by describing him as the executive chairman of Fox Corp. – only. They later learned he was also the executive chairman of Fox News – indicating he played a more prominent role in the network’s broadcast.
“We have been litigating based upon this false premise that Rupert Murdoch wasn’t an officer of Fox News,” he said.
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At one point the angry judge said: “I need people to tell me the truth. And by the way, omission is a lie.”
The high-stakes trial will feature a who’s who of Fox News personalities and executives, including talking heads Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Bartiromo, Laura Ingraham, and Murdoch.
In an article by Vanity Fair detailing the legal drama surrounding the lawsuit one Fox News staffer told the magazine: “If we lose this suit, it’s f....g bad,”
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A spokesperson for Fox News tells RadarOnline.com, "Rupert Murdoch has been listed as executive chairman of FOX News in our SEC filings for several years and this filing was referenced by Dominion’s own attorney during his deposition.”
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