California governor Newsom sues Fox News for defamation over Trump call

Reuters
Reuters

California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News, accusing the network of distorting facts about his phone call with President Donald Trump.

California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News on Friday, seeking $787 million in damages.

Speaking at a press conference, Newsom said Fox intentionally edited and misrepresented facts about his phone call with Donald Trump, creating a false narrative that he lied about when the call took place.

“This isn’t about me being sensitive to criticism,” Newsom said. “Fox crossed a clear line and defamed me. Their reporting was malicious and unethical.”

The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court, claims Fox acted with actual malice in its coverage, similar to the behavior alleged in Dominion Voting Systems’ lawsuit that Fox settled last year for $787.5 million.

According to the complaint, Trump falsely told reporters on June 10 that he had spoken with Newsom “a day ago,” when their last confirmed call had been several days earlier, on June 6 or early June 7. Newsom said Fox helped cover up Trump’s falsehood by broadcasting misleading video clips and making false on-air statements branding the governor a liar.

The lawsuit cites Fox host Jesse Watters, whose program aired a segment with a headline reading “Gavin Lied About Trump’s Call.” The complaint says this was intended to provoke public outrage and damage Newsom’s reputation.

Newsom said he would drop the case if Fox issues a retraction and if Watters apologizes on-air.

In a statement, Fox News called the lawsuit a “transparent publicity stunt” and said it will vigorously fight the case.

The governor is also seeking compensatory damages, saying the network’s coverage harmed his reputation and future political prospects.

Tags

Comments (0)

What is your opinion on this topic?

Leave the first comment