Feb.28

electoral-vote.com

Dem 51

   

GOP 49

Another Bombshell-filled Dominion Filing

Dominion Voting Systems made another filing in their case against Fox, this one based primarily on testimony from depositions with Fox Corporation chair Rupert Murdoch. And... it's another rip-snorter. Here are the main takeaways:

• Murdoch knew full well that the 2020 election results were legitimate, and described Donald Trump's lies therein as "bulls**t and damaging."
  
  
• Murdoch also knew that it was a very bad idea to give Mike Lindell a platform. But the concern guiding the channel's election coverage was not the truth. As Murdoch himself put it, when describing the underlying motivation: "It is not red or blue, it is green."
  
  
• Similarly, everyone at Fox knew that Sidney Powell is bat**it crazy, but they kept having her on.
  
  
• Murdoch warned on-air reporters Shepard Smith and Leland Vittert, both of whom no longer work for Fox, to stop being so critical of Donald Trump.
  
  
• Murdoch wanted to fire Bill Sammon, who also no longer works for Fox, for calling Arizona for Biden. That call, of course, was correct.
  
  
• Murdoch wanted to fire Lou Dobbs, who is yet another ex-Fox employee, for being too loony. However, the termination was forestalled until 2021 because Trump likes Dobbs.
  
  
• Murdoch also ordered Fox anchors to promote Republican senators' election bids, particularly that of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). His concern was that the GOP retain the Senate at all costs.
  
  
• Murdoch gave Jared Kushner inside information about Joe Biden's advertising and about debates that Fox was involved in producing.
  
  
• Sean Hannity tired of Trump long ago, but continues to tote water for the former president, for fear of losing viewers.
  
  
• The person who worked hardest to try to get Fox and its personalities to accept the truth? Hold on to your hats, because there's no way you could see this coming. It's former speaker and current Fox contributor Paul Ryan. That's right, Paul Ryan—Defender of Democracy.

The first conclusion here is that Fox is in deep, deep trouble. If this does not clear the bar for defamation—the outlet knew it was spreading falsehoods and kept repeating them anyhow because there was money in it—then we might as well just get rid of that portion of the law books.

The second conclusion here is that, in case you didn't already know, Fox is not a news organization. They are not in the same ballpark as a news organization. Or the same ZIP code. Or the same universe. The network once had a reasonable news operation, but the great majority of those folks have been sent packing or have left of their own volition. These days, the opinion/propaganda operation is king, because that is where the money is. In particular, Fox should neer again have any part in hosting any candidates' debate. They have forfeited that privilege.

Meanwhile—and we have no idea what the answer to this question is—what is Fox going to do about its Trump problem? The outlet clearly wants to quit him, and to move on to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), but they can't afford to do so. Meanwhile, Trump is furious that the network is giving any attention to the Florida Governor, but he can't afford to quit Fox, either, as he needs the promotion. Are we headed for an ugly divorce here? Or another 2 years of parasitic symbiosis? (Z)