Voting technology company Smartmatic and the far-right network One America News have settled a defamation lawsuit related to OAN’s false claims about the 2020 election. The details of the settlement were not disclosed, but it marks the resolution of one of several lawsuits filed against right-wing outlets following the election. Smartmatic accused OAN of spreading lies to increase viewership and revenue and victimizing the company. This settlement comes after Fox News reached a massive settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, another company smeared during the election, for over $787 million.
OAN has established itself as one of the most extreme pro-Trump cable news outlets, regularly promoting baseless conspiracy theories, especially related to the 2020 election. The network has worked with Russian operatives on propaganda-style documentaries and settled a defamation lawsuit with a former Dominion executive. In 2022, DirecTV dropped OAN from its lineup, impacting the network’s viewership and revenue. Smartmatic’s lawsuit against OAN alleged that the network made false claims about the company’s role in the election, including allegations of vote-switching and ballot-stuffing, as well as tying Smartmatic to Venezuela.
Despite the settlement, OAN still faces another defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion over its dissemination of election lies. The Smartmatic case was still in the discovery phase when the settlement was reached, avoiding scheduled depositions of OAN executives Charles Herring and Robert Herring Jr. The Herring family, which founded OAN in 2013, was also implicated in the lawsuit, with Smartmatic suggesting they may have engaged in criminal activities by obtaining internal passwords. OAN denied these allegations, and no wrongdoing was found against the Herrings in a judicial setting.
The settlement between Smartmatic and OAN marks the end of a legal battle over false claims made about the 2020 election, similar to other lawsuits targeting right-wing outlets. OAN’s extreme pro-Trump bias has led to the promotion of baseless conspiracy theories and collaboration with Russian operatives on propaganda. The network’s settlement with Smartmatic and ongoing lawsuit with Dominion highlight the legal repercussions of spreading misinformation and lies. Despite the settlement, questions remain about the role of OAN and other outlets in perpetuating falsehoods and undermining faith in the electoral process.
The outcome of the Smartmatic case against OAN underscores the financial and reputational risks faced by media outlets that propagate false information. Fox News’s massive settlement with Dominion and OAN’s settlement with Smartmatic demonstrate the potential consequences of spreading lies about election integrity. As OAN continues to face legal challenges related to its coverage of the 2020 election, it remains to be seen how these lawsuits will impact the network’s future operations and credibility. Moving forward, media outlets must prioritize accuracy and fact-checking to avoid costly legal battles and reputational damage.
