CNN
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Here we are.
The media defamation case of the decade is on the verge of commencing in Wilmington, Delaware, within a matter of days.
Jury selection for Dominion Voting Systems’ colossal $1.6 billion defamation suit took place all day Thursday, bringing 300 potential jurors to court. Significant progress was made, and the presiding judge indicated there were “more than sufficient jurors” to commence the trial as planned on Monday.
It is in Courtroom 7E where major figures from Murdoch Media, alongside a cadre of influential lawyers, will try to establish their defense following repeated failures to persuade a judge to dismiss this now-historic case.
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Honestly, it’s remarkable to articulate these words. When I observed Fox News disseminate election falsehoods in the wake of the 2020 election, I never anticipated the network would be held accountable in any substantial manner.
I have been reporting on Fox News for quite some time. I have viewed countless hours of programming from the right-wing channel. I have witnessed its hosts over the years undermine public health, express disturbing anti-immigrant sentiments, spread falsehoods and propaganda, and advocate bizarre conspiracy theories that were once confined to the most extreme fringes of the right.
The network has always seemed to navigate through controversy, even surviving dire storms. Occasionally, it has emerged even stronger and more defiant than before.
Yet, this instance is distinct. This time, the usual tactics the network resorts to in times of crisis won’t extricate it from trouble. This time, in a courtroom, the network must present a truthful, evidence-based argument.
Fox News is stepping into the real No Spin Zone, where deceit is strictly forbidden. Where it does not hold authority. And where its high-ranking officials like Rupert Murdoch and Suzanne Scott and hosts like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity cannot simply evade requests for comments and instead attack “the media” on-air.
In this environment, where lies cannot be casually told and facts cannot be distorted beyond reality to fit a false narrative, it will be intriguing to observe how the network performs. If the preliminary hearings are any indication, the outcome will not be favorable. The trial hasn’t even begun and the presiding judge has already expressed frustration with Fox’s legal team and has issued a warning.
Perhaps the tides will turn for Fox News when the judge officially begins the trial on Monday. However, if the last few weeks of court are any precursor, Fox News is in for a challenging journey.
