"Smartmatic's $2.7 Billion Defamation Suit Against Fox Corp. Moves Forward"

Fox Corporation must face Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation suit, as ruled by a New York judge, while Smartmatic must also face Fox's counterclaims alleging the defamation claims are intended to suppress free speech. The judge denied Fox's motion to dismiss the defamation claims, stating that Corp. employees played an affirmative role in the publication of the defamation and acted with malice. However, the judge also denied Smartmatic's motion to dismiss Fox's counterclaims, which argue that the defamation claims were designed to quell free speech. This legal battle is part of at least eleven ongoing lawsuits over election conspiracy theories, and Fox Corp. is preparing to defend the case in trial, likely in 2025.