Fox News loses bid for Smartmatic voting-tech company's records about Philippines bribery case
Smartmatic does not need to give Fox News any information about U.S. federal charges against the voting machine company’s co-founder over alleged bribery in the Philippines
NEW YORK (AP) — Smartmatic won't be required to give Fox News a trove of information about U.S. federal charges against the voting machine company's co-founder over alleged bribery in the Philippines, a judge ruled Thursday.
Fox News and parent Fox Corp. sought the information to help fight Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation suit over broadcasts about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Smartmatic says its business was gutted when Fox aired false claims that the election-tech company helped rig the voting.
Fox says it was simply reporting on newsworthy allegations made by then-President Donald Trump and his allies.
At the same hearing, Judge David B. Cohen also turned down Smartmatic's request to question two Fox Corp. board members. The company has already questioned others.
