Smartmatic alleges Fox News destroyed text messages in 2020 election case as Fox wins new documents
Source: ABC News
May 14, 2025, 9:02 PM
The multibillion dollar defamation lawsuit brought by voting machine company Smartmatic against Fox News lurched forward this week with new allegations filed by Smartmatic that Fox executives destroyed text messages -- and a new ruling Fox News won that will allow them access to new documents that could help their defense.
Smartmatic, in a court filing Wednesday, alleged that Fox News and Fox Corp "orchestrated the destruction of text messages across all levels of their corporate hierarchy" -- a filing that comes as Fox continues to fight the defamation lawsuit brought by the voting machine company over the network's 2020 election claims.
Smartmatic claims those who "deleted their texts" include founder Rupert Mudoch and chairman Lachlan Murdoch. "The destruction was not isolated or accidental," the filing, which was largely redacted, claims. "It was extensive and willful."
The claims were revealed in an introduction to the motion that was publicly filed with the court, though the rest of the motion remained redacted due to a 2022 "confidentially stipulation" between the parties.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/smartmatic-alleges-fox-news-destroyed-text-messages-2020/story?id=121805804
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