Newsmax Announces Settlement With Dominion Voting Systems (Connecting the Dots: Dominion Voting Systems, The Open Society Foundations, Judge Eric Davis, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP & Soros Funding, All Networking)
Newsmax.com
By
Newsmax Wires | Monday, 18 August 2025 09:20 AM EDT
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/newsmax-settlement-dominion/2025/08/18/id/1222903/
BOCA
RATON, Fla. – Newsmax Media, Inc. announced today it has reached a settlement
agreement with Dominion Voting Systems,
concluding a defamation lawsuit that Dominion filed in Delaware Superior Court
in 2021.
In a
filing submitted Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
Newsmax disclosed the parties have mutually agreed to resolve the litigation
for a total payment of $67 million. The settlement amount will be paid out in
installments over three fiscal years which the company expects to fund through
revenues.
Dominion
Voting Systems originally filed its lawsuit against Newsmax in 2021, seeking
$1.6 billion in damages. Dominion alleged that certain statements made in
Newsmax's coverage of the 2020 presidential election were defamatory.
From
the outset, Newsmax has always maintained its reporting was not defamatory and
its coverage was consistent with accepted journalistic standards.
"Newsmax
believed it was critically important for the American people to hear both sides
of the election disputes that arose in 2020," the company said in its
statement. "We stand by our coverage as fair, balanced, and conducted
within professional standards of journalism."
Despite
its confidence in its reporting, Newsmax determined the Delaware
court
with Judge
Eric Davis
presiding would not provide a fair trial wherein the company could present
standard libel defenses to a jury.
Davis
also presided over the case of Dominion v. Fox News where he was harshly
criticized by then Fox's chief legal officer for his actions and rulings.
"From
the very beginning, Judge Davis ruled in ways that strongly favored the
plaintiffs and limited Newsmax's ability to defend itself," Newsmax
stated.
Among
the examples Newsmax cited:
•
Presumption of guilt:
Davis ruled early that Newsmax had committed defamation per se against the
plaintiff in each of the 19 alleged statements – depriving the company of any
ability to present a full defense to the serious claims made before a jury,
which ordinarily decides upon such matters.
•
Suppression of critical context:
The court indicated that it likely would refuse to allow the jury to hear that
Fox News had already paid Dominion $787 million in a settlement —information
Newsmax considered essential for the jury to evaluate damages and for them to
understand the plaintiff was more than compensated for any potential harm it
had alleged.
•
Procedural irregularities:
Dominion initially sued Newsmax's parent company rather than its broadcasting
subsidiary, Newsmax Broadcasting LLC. Instead of dismissing the suit, Davis
simply added the subsidiary and then, without notice or due process to Newsmax
Broadcasting, he entered partial summary judgment against the subsidiary – even
before it was served with a complaint in the lawsuit.
•
Excessive and intrusive discovery:
Dominion was permitted to comb through extensive communications including
personal emails, cell text messages, and other documents of reporters and
company executives that were completely unrelated to the issues in the case.
The
pattern of judicial rulings that consistently denied Newsmax due process left the company to
believe it would not receive a fair trial. Faced with these rulings and other
constraints, Newsmax chose to settle the case.
"The
Delaware court under Judge Davis effectively enforced a confiscation of our
property because our reporting was not always sympathetic to Joe Biden,"
Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy said.
"The
actions taken against Newsmax, and earlier against Fox News, represent a direct
attack on free speech and a free press," he said.
Newsmax
believes Judge Davis' rulings and actions in Delaware not only threaten the
company's own rights but also broader constitutional freedoms that will impact
many other companies and individuals in the future.
"The
judiciary's willingness to punish news organizations for reporting on matters
of urgent national debate undermines the role of the press in a free
society," the company declared.
Newsmax
likely could not have been sued in Delaware had it not been incorporated there
at the time Dominion Voting Systems filed its lawsuit. Newsmax encourages every
business incorporated in Delaware to reconsider and exit the state, as it did
so to Florida. Businesses should re-domicile in jurisdictions that still
believe in the rule of law and remain committed to protecting constitutional
freedoms for all Americans.
While
strongly disagreeing with the Delaware proceedings, Newsmax emphasized the
settlement allows it to move forward with clarity and renewed focus. The
company expects to pay the settlement from revenues over three fiscal years and
anticipates no disruption to its operations or its growth strategy.
"With
these matters resolved, Newsmax is positioned to continue its mission:
delivering accurate reporting, fostering vigorous debate, and ensuring
Americans have access to diverse viewpoints," the company said.
"At
a time when public trust in media is at historic lows, our commitment to
balanced reporting, coverage of critical issues facing Americans and open
dialogue has never been more important."
About
Newsmax
Newsmax
Inc. is listed on the NYSE (NMAX) and operates, through Newsmax Broadcasting
LLC, one of the nation's leading news outlets, the Newsmax channel. The fourth
highest-rated cable news network is carried on all major cable stations, as
well as all major satellite systems. Newsmax's media properties reach more than
40 million Americans regularly through Newsmax TV, the Newsmax App, its popular
website Newsmax.com, and
publications such as Newsmax Magazine. Through its social media accounts,
Newsmax reaches 20 million combined followers. Reuters Institute says Newsmax
is one of the top U.S. news brands, and Forbes has called Newsmax "a news
powerhouse."
Judge
Eric M. Davis
https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_M._Davis
Career
Davis
began his career with the firm of Miles & Stockbridge and then joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
in 1996. He was
appointed to the Court of Common Pleas of New Castle County in 2010, where he
served until he joined the Superior Court in 2012.
Connecting
the Dots:
Mark
Malloch-Brown is the CEO for Smartmatic (electronic
voting system used in the United States) and a global board member for
the Open Society Foundations.
Morton H. Halperin is
a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations and Newsmax’s Mark
Halperin’s father.
George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open
Society Foundations, a board member for the International Crisis Group
and a member of the Bretton Woods Committee.
Moises Naim was a
board member for the International Crisis Group, is a global board
member for the Open Society Foundations, a member of the Bretton
Woods Committee, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace (think tank).
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open
Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to
Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace (think tank).
German
Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) was a
funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
Gregory B. Craig was
a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think
tank), the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration,
is a trustee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think
tank) and a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Christina M.
Tchen was the chief of staff to the first lady (Michelle Obama)
for the Barack Obama administration and a partner at Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Judge Eric M. Davis
began his career with
the firm of Miles & Stockbridge and then joined Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom in 1996 and is a judge of the New Castle County Superior
Court in Delaware.
Patrick J.
Fitzgerald is a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom LLP, monitoring the sale and closure of the Corinthian
Colleges and was the prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et
al.
Akin,
Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Corinthian
Colleges.
Rod R. Blagojevich was
the defendant in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et al and
the Illinois state government governor.
Antoinette Cook
Bush was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP and is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s stepdaughter.
Patrick J.
Fitzgerald is a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom LLP, monitoring the sale and closure of the Corinthian
Colleges and was the prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et
al.
Akin,
Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Corinthian
Colleges.
Michele A.
Roberts was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom LLP and an attorney at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &
Feld, LLP.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &
Feld, LLP, Antoinette Cook Bush’s stepfather, an honorary
trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and Valerie
B. Jarrett’s great uncle.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society.
Cyrus F.
Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings
Institution (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of
Chicago.
Valerie B. Jarrett is
a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the senior adviser for
the Barack Obama administration and her great uncle is Vernon E.
Jordan Jr.
R. Eden Martin is
the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and counsel
at Sidley Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was
an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Michelle Obama was
a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.
Newton N. Minow is
a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation
of New York.
Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a
funder for the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Gregory B. Craig was
a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think
tank), the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration,
is a trustee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think
tank) and a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
German
Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) was a
funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, is a board member for the International Crisis Group, a member of the Bretton Woods Committee and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
Moises Naim was a
board member for the International Crisis Group, is a member of
the Bretton Woods Committee, a fellow at the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a global board member
for the Open Society Foundations.
Mark
Malloch-Brown is a global board member for the Open Society
Foundations and the CEO for Smartmatic (electronic voting
system used in the United States).
Morton H. Halperin is
a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark
Halperin’s father and served with the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to
Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open
Society Foundations.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
German
Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) was a
funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).
Gregory B. Craig was
a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think
tank), the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration,
is a trustee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think
tank) and a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Judge Eric M. Davis
began his career with
the firm of Miles & Stockbridge and then joined Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom in 1996 and is a judge of the New Castle County Superior
Court in Delaware.
Patrick J.
Fitzgerald is a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom LLP, monitoring the sale and closure of the Corinthian
Colleges and was the prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et
al.
Akin,
Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Corinthian
Colleges and the Corrections Corporation of America.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &
Feld, LLP, Antoinette Cook Bush’s stepfather, an honorary
trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and Valerie
B. Jarrett’s great uncle.
Antoinette Cook
Bush is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s stepdaughter and was a
partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Resources:
Past Research
UPDATED:
Report: Trump to Pardon Ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich (Connecting the Dots:
Federal Bureau of Prisons, Corrections Corporation of America, Akin, Gump,
Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP,
David F. Hamilton, 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, The Smithsonian
Institution, The U.S. Supreme Court & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP)
Tuesday,
February 11, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/02/updated-report-trump-to-pardon-ex.html
Trump
Says He’s Looking Into Privatizing US Postal Service (Connecting the Dots: The
U.S. Postal Service (USPS), BAE Systems Inc., The Third Way & Soros
Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP)
Thursday,
December 26, 2024
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2024/12/trump-says-hes-looking-into-privatizing.html
Judge:
Newsmax Did Not Target Smartmatic; Details Criminal Allegations, Venezuela Ties
(Connecting the Dots: Past Research on Smartmatic, Venezuela, Morton Halperin,
Mark Halperin, ONE Campaign, Sidley Austin LLP & Soros Funding, All
Networking) (Past Research on the Dominion Voting
Systems)
Monday,
September 16, 2024
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2024/09/judge-newsmax-did-not-target-smartmatic.html
The
Valerie Jarrett Power Matrix - Background research (Past
Research on the Valerie Jarrett)
Friday,
December 27, 2013
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-valerie-jarrett-power-matrix.html
John
Bolton to Newsmax: Trump an Aberration; I'll Be Proven Right (Connecting the
Dots: John Bolton, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Human Rights First, Sidley Austin
LLP, Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc, Export-Import Bank of the US & Soros
Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Sidley
Austin LLP)
Friday,
January 17, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/01/john-bolton-to-newsmax-trump-aberration.html
UPDATED:
Newsmax Statement on Smartmatic Case (Connecting the Dots: Venezuela,
Smartmatic & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past
Research on Smartmatic & the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
(think tank))
Tuesday,
December 17, 2024
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