Ruppert Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corporation
Lionel Bonaventure | AFP | Getty Images
Fox News has apologized to the Delaware judge presiding over the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit for failing to determine Fox Corp.’s proper role. Chairman Rupert Murdoch to the network, according to a letter filed in court.
“We understand the Court’s concerns, apologize, and are committed to clear and full communication with the Court moving forward,” Fox attorney Blake Rohrbacher wrote in the letter Friday.
Dominion Voting System it brought the defamation suit against Fox and its TV networks, Fox News and Fox Business, in March 2021, arguing its hosts pushed false claims that Dominion’s voting machines were rigged in the presidential election in 2020 saw President Joe Biden triumph over former President Donald Trump.
Fox’s apology comes on the eve of the trial, which is set to begin Monday. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis expressed frustration with the network on Tuesday for its failure to accurately disclose Murdoch’s leadership role there. Fox lawyers have repeatedly claimed that Murdoch has no official title at Fox News, but later revealed that he serves as Fox News Executive Chair.
“It’s a problem,” Davis said, according to a court transcript. “I have to feel comfortable when you represent something to me that is the truth.”
On Wednesday, Davis sanctioned by Fox for withholding evidence and news said if deposits or anything else has to be redone, it will cost the company.
“This is a misunderstanding,” Fox’s attorney Blake Rohrbacher wrote in the letter. “We should have updated the Court following the hearing on April 5 with a complete answer, and we should have taken care before the hearing to ensure that our written submissions reflected all listed corporate titles for individuals in question for both Fox entities.”
Fox is defending itself against Dominion’s claims that could result in damages of up to $1.6 billion. Regardless of the outcome, an appeal is likely.
Fox, which rejected the claims made by Dominion and said it was protected by the First Amendment, disputed the amount of damages sought by the voting machine maker. Davis recently said the matter is up to a jury.
— CNBC’s Lillian Rizzo contributed to this report.
