“Newsmax is pleased to announce it has resolved the litigation brought by Smartmatic through a confidential settlement.”
That’s all the Boca Raton, Fla.-headquartered conservative-leaning cable news network had to share on Thursday afternoon, ending a court case that dates nearly four years just before it was set to go to trial.
Electronic voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic was finger-pointed by conservatives across the fall of 2020 and into early 2021, after President Trump lost re-election to Joe Biden. Accusations of vote manipulation surfaced, with Newsmax broadcasting reports detailing these claims. This led to a lawsuit, with Smartmatic accusing Newsmax hosts and guests of making false and defamatory statements against the company.
In particular, reporting suggested Smartmatic was implicit in releasing results in favor of Biden and that, in some way, Smartmatic software was used to change votes.
Newsmax responded that it was offering balanced reporting on allegations it deemed as newsworthy, adding the lawsuit “threatens freedom of speech and freedom of press.”
Jury selection was underway on Thursday when the settlement was announced, thereby avoiding a trial. It mirrors the Dominion Voting Systems v. FOX News case, which was also settled just ahead of opening statements.
