Security News > 2021 > February > Vote machine biz Smartmatic sues Fox News and Trump chums for $2.7bn over bogus claims of rigged 2020 election

Electronic voting machine maker Smartmatic has sued Fox News, three of its hosts, and two of Donald Trump's loyalists - Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell - for an eye-popping $2.7bn in defamation damages over the false claims it stole the 2020 presidential election for Joe Biden.

The voting tech biz, in its court filing, said Fox News broadcast entirely bogus claims that Smartmatic's devices were engineered to secretly swing vote counts in Biden's favor in US states where the results were close.

It should be noted that Smartmatic's only role in the 2020 election was to provide equipment for Los Angeles County, and the results there were not even close: it's a Democrat stronghold.

There is no credible suggestion Smartmatic rigged any results nor that it was under Venezuela's control.

Smartmatic now wants Fox News et al to cough up $2.7bn to cover economic losses and damages to its reputation, and for any false statements made to be retracted.

"Defendants engaged in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about Smartmatic. They lied. And they did so knowingly and intentionally. Smartmatic seeks to hold them accountable for those lies and for the damage that their lies have caused."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/02/05/smartmatic_election_lawsuit/