Smartmatic Reaches Settlement with Newsmax in Defamation Lawsuit
Smartmatic, a prominent election technology company, has reached a settlement in its defamation lawsuit against the right-wing broadcaster Newsmax. The agreement was finalized on Thursday just as jury selection was set to begin for what was anticipated to be a lengthy trial. Specific details regarding the terms of the settlement have not been publicly disclosed.
Initially, Smartmatic had accused Newsmax of attempting to attract viewers from its competitor, Fox News, by airing unfounded reports that linked Smartmatic to conspiracy theories. These theories falsely suggested that the company played a role in manipulating the 2020 presidential election results to favor Joseph R. Biden Jr. The lawsuit was filed in Delaware Superior Court in 2021, reflecting the ongoing tensions surrounding media coverage of the election.
As jury selection commenced on Thursday morning, both parties were preparing for a trial that was expected to last up to four weeks. However, the resolution of the case through a settlement has brought an unexpected conclusion to this legal battle.
A spokesperson for Newsmax stated, “Newsmax is pleased to announce it has resolved the litigation brought by Smartmatic through a confidential settlement.”
This settlement follows a similar resolution in April, when Smartmatic settled another defamation claim against One America News Network (OANN). Like the Newsmax settlement, the amount involved in the OANN case was also kept confidential.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
