Politics
Smartmatic's defamation lawsuit against Newsmax is headed to trial. What's at stake?
The 2024 presidential election is approaching, but the legal battle over how the 2020 race was covered by right-wing channel Newsmax isn’t going away quietly.
On Sept. 30, Newsmax will head into a Delaware court to defend itself against a defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, a voting machine technology company. Smartmatic says its reputation was damaged by false statements made on the network regarding voter fraud allegations in the 2020 presidential election.
Smartmatic’s suit says Newsmax provided a platform for its hosts, Donald Trump and the former president’s attorneys and allies to falsely claim that the company’s software was manipulated to deliver the election for President Biden.
Smartmatic’s equipment was used only in Los Angeles County in 2020 and not in any of the swing states that helped decide the election.
The claims were given ample airtime on Newsmax despite a lack of credible evidence of fraud and a complete rejection of Trump’s legal challenges in the courts. Smartmatic says it lost business because of the bogus statements.
“Newsmax’s own people repeatedly and intentionally lied to the public,” Smartmatic attorney Erik Connolly said. “This trial will allow the American judicial process to finally hold Newsmax accountable for knowingly peddling lies about Smartmatic.”
Newsmax countered that Trump’s claims were newsworthy and that its reporting on them was protected by the 1st Amendment. The company also issued an on-air clarification in December 2020 stating that it found no evidence that Smartmatic was involved in voting fraud.
What’s at stake?
Smartmatic is looking for substantial financial damages in the case, which could be a devastating blow to the privately held Boca Raton, Fla.-based Newsmax.
Smartmatic’s lawsuit originally sought $1.7 billion in damages. The figure is now between $400 million and $600 million according to a Newsmax attorney. Smartmatic is limiting the damages to the period between 2021 and 2023 as a current federal investigation of the company is not put into evidence.
A huge award could be fatal to Newsmax. Howard Cooper, one of Newsmax’s attorneys, described the case as “bet the company” litigation at a pretrial hearing Monday.
Fox News settled a similar defamation case with Dominion Voting Systems, agreeing to pay $787 million just before the trial was set to begin in April 2023. But parent company Fox Corp. had billions in cash on hand at the time and sustained only a single quarterly loss due to the payment.
Earlier this year, Newsmax filed for an initial public offering to raise $75 million and a private placement to generate additional capital. The investor presentation said the company expects to take in revenue of $180.5 million in 2024.
The network, launched in 2014, has no blue-chip advertisers, depending largely on direct marketers such as MyPillow.com for ad revenue, and has battled with pay-TV operators to get compensated for its programming.
Year-to-date, Newsmax is averaging 280,000 viewers in prime time compared with more than 2 million for ratings leader Fox News, according to Nielsen data.
Will Dominion’s settlement with Fox News have any influence?
Smartmatic’s suit will be tried before Judge Eric M. Davis, the jurist who heard Dominion’s case against Fox News. Davis ruled that Fox News aired false statements in its coverage of former President Trump’s claims that the election was rigged to help President Biden. A jury was selected to decide on damages before a settlement was reached.
Davis has ruled that the settlement will not be admissible as evidence in the Smartmatic-Newsmax case.
Davis found that Newsmax aired false statements about Smartmatic’s role in the election. But he did not rule on whether this was done with intent to harm the company. The jury will be asked to answer that question and decide on a financial judgment if Newsmax is found guilty.
How could Smartmatic’s history come into play?
Smartmatic‘s attorneys want to keep the jury from hearing about the federal investigation of its executives for allegedly bribing officials in the Philippines. The company has not been charged but remains under investigation.
Smartmatic President Roger Piñate and two other employees were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in August for allegedly making illegal payments to a former Philippines elections commissioner in order to get its voting machines and services used in the country’s 2016 election.
Davis ruled in the pretrial hearing that he will not allow the recent indictments to be presented in court, but there is still a possibility they could come up. (Smartmatic reduced its damages claim to keep the investigation from being presented as evidence.)
Newsmax is expected to cite Smartmatic’s other legal issues as the reason for its losing business, rather than the network’s five weeks of coverage of Trump’s false election fraud claims in 2020.
“The Department of Justice alleged Smartmatic executives engaged in money laundering and allegedly bribed an election official,” a Newsmax representative said in a statement when the indictment was handed down. “Smartmatic can hardly claim that Newsmax’s coverage harmed its reputation. This case is not about the left versus right, but about a free press being allowed to do its job.”
Smartmatic said the federal investigation is unrelated to voter fraud, which is what Newsmax discussed on its air.
What Smartmatic’s suit against Newsmax means to Fox News
Executives and attorneys at Fox News will be watching the proceedings with much interest, as Smartmatic also has a $2.7-billion defamation suit against the Murdoch-controlled network that could go to trial in New York next year. In pretrial hearings, attorneys for Fox News have attacked the size of the damages Smartmatic is seeking.
By settling its case with Dominion, Fox News avoided having Rupert Murdoch and its on-air stars such as Sean Hannity called as witnesses. But with the Smartmatic case moving forward, jurors could see Newsmax personalities such as Greg Kelly on the witness stand.
Politics
EXCLUSIVE: FBI adds alleged COVID fraudster accused of taking $5M from kids’ meal program to Most Wanted list
FBI makes first arrest from its ‘most wanted fraudsters’ list
FBI Director Kash Patel announces the first arrest on the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list. Said Ereg, a Minneapolis man, is accused of stealing over $4.2 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota Senate candidate Michele Tafoya emphasizes the need for accountability for fraudulent activities.
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EXCLUSIVE: The FBI is adding Fahad Mohamed Nur to its Most Wanted Fraudsters List, accusing the Minnesota businessman of allegedly stealing more than $5 million that was intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nur has been on the run since 2022 and is wanted for his alleged role in a fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota’s Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FBI. The bureau alleges he owned a vendor and purported food supplier that received more than $5 million in fraudulent program funds by submitting fake invoices before laundering the proceeds.
The Bureau believes Nur has ties to Somalia and may currently be living there.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to Nur’s arrest and conviction.
OWNER OF DAYCARE IN VIRAL NICK SHIRLEY VIDEO CHARGED IN $4.6M DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME, PROSECUTORS SAY
Fahad Mohamed Nur has been on the run since 2022 and may be in Somalia, according to the FBI. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Nur is the latest addition to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List, which officials say has already resulted in the arrests of two fugitives within weeks of its launch.
“Under President Trump’s and Vice President Vance’s leadership with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, the FBI’s historic ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters list’ has already seen tremendous success – with two subjects brought to justice in a matter of weeks, apprehended out of Somalia and the Philippines,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Patel said the early arrests demonstrate that the FBI is aggressively pursuing fugitives accused of stealing from American taxpayers.
FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL
FBI Director Kash Patel conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday, December 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Our newest subject – Fahad Mohamed Nur – has been on the run since 2022 for allegedly stealing over $5 million from a child nutrition program in Minnesota.”
Patel added: “Collectively, the Task Force has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, and the rapid success of the Most Wanted Fraudsters List should show all Americans that this FBI will [be] at the forefront pursuing the worst of the worst who stole from hardworking American taxpayers.”
DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT
Federal agents enter an office building as a search warrant is executed at Ultimate Home Health Services over potential Medicaid fraud, on December 18, 2025 in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Federal officials say the investigation is part of a broader government effort targeting pandemic-era fraud.
“The Department’s robust partnership with the FBI and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud has already delivered historic results. That partnership grows even stronger today with the addition of this latest subject to the Most Wanted Fraudsters list,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “President Trump has made it clear: Fraudsters no longer have a safe haven in America. Law enforcement will continue to use every tool at its disposal to bring those who steal from American taxpayers to justice.”
The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, according to the FBI.
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Anyone with information about Nur’s whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, their local FBI office, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Politics
Seth Doane and Jim Axelrod among contenders for ’60 Minutes’ roles
With the 2026-27 season premiere of “60 Minutes” just two months away, CBS News leadership is getting closer to deciding who will fill the recent departures of longtime correspondents Scott Pelley, Sharon Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Anderson Cooper.
Seth Doane, a longtime correspondent based in Italy who is often seen on “CBS Sunday Morning,” is under consideration, along with chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod, who currently has a lead role in the “Eye On America” series featured on the “CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil.”
Sir Trevor Phillips, a British journalist and former politician who recently joined CBS News as senior global affairs correspondent, is expected to have a role on the program, according to people briefed on the plan. Phillips had a long career in the U.K., producing and writing documentaries and most recently hosted the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.”
Phillips received a knighthood in 2022 for his service to equality and human rights for the U.K. But he also generated controversy over his career for comments about the British Muslim community, which led to a yearlong suspension from the Labour Party in 2020.
A CBS News representative declined comment beyond saying the division is looking at a number of internal and external candidates.
Dokoupil is expected to deliver four “60 Minutes” pieces a season. Major Garrett, the network’s chief Washington correspondent, will also have a contributor role.
Matt Gutman, hired from ABC News last year as national correspondent, is under strong consideration. He is being put in front of test audiences, according to several people at the network.
Holly Williams, a foreign correspondent working out of Istanbul for CBS News since 2012, and Mariana van Zeller, a journalist for National Geographic Channel, are both said to remain in contention.
The newcomers will join Bill Whitaker, Leslie Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Norah O’Donnell, who are all returning as correspondents. O’Donnell will also continue in her role as senior correspondent for the network, occasionally anchoring specials.
The rebuild of the talent line-up comes after the upheaval at the program that has occurred since Bari Weiss joined CBS News as edtior in chief in October.
Longtime correspondent Scott Pelley was fired last month after confronting management about the May 28 dismissal of his colleagues Alfonsi and Vega along with the program’s executive producer Tanya Simon and her second-in-command Draggan Mihailovich.
In February, Cooper decided not to sign a new deal as a “60 Minutes” contributor, as the CNN anchor cited a desire to spend more time with his family. But Cooper has reportedly told colleagues that he does not want to work for Weiss.
The internal disruption at “60 Minutes” followed a highly successful season. In its 57th season, “60 Minutes” was the most watched news program on television with an average of 9.1 million viewers a week according to Nielsen data. The program bucked the overall decline in traditional TV viewing by growing 9 percent over the previous season.
After the dismissal of his “60 Minutes” colleagues, Pelley accused Weiss of trying to “murder” the program and claimed she was putting “her thumb on the scale” for more favorable coverage of the Trump administration. He was fired with cause after confronting management at a June 1 meeting.
Weiss came to CBS when parent company Paramount acquired her digital web site The Free Press, known for its criticism of progressive policies and its strong support of Israel.
Weiss was hired by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison with a mandate to move the news division to the political center. The pronouncement has created the perception that CBS News is looking to placate the Trump administration as Paramount sought regulatory approval for its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which will also give the company ownership of CNN.
The noise surrounding Weiss has hurt CBS News despite strong reporting that is often far from being pro-MAGA. This past weekend’s “CBS Sunday Morning” featured a segment from national security correspondent David Martin about the Department of Defense interfering with the editorial independence of Stars & Stripes, the military newspaper.
Trump complained vehemently about his last interview with O’Donnell on “60 Minutes,” — conducted the day after a gunman tried to enter the White House Correspondents Assn. dinner in Washington on April 25.
Politics
Abbott orders probe after Texas hospital advertises ‘birth packages’ in Mexico: ‘Citizenship is not for sale’
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into a Texas hospital Tuesday after it confirmed to Fox News that it advertised Spanish-language “Birth Packages in South Texas” on billboards in Mexico promoting childbirth services to pregnant foreign nationals near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed to Fox News that it was responsible for the advertising campaign, which promoted deliveries starting at $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a C-section and directed viewers to a website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, that has since been taken offline.
The billboards also displayed a telephone number beginning with “001,” the country code used to place calls to the United States from Mexico.
‘WEAPONS OF MASS REPRODUCTION’: WATCHDOG UNVEILS ACTION PLAN TO CURB BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING
Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a bill signing in the State Capitol on April 23, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.”
The spokesperson said the campaign included two billboards located within approximately five miles of the hospital near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. The hospital said both billboards and the website were removed Monday after images began circulating on social media. The spokesperson also said the campaign began in 2021 but did not specify when the billboards were installed.
Abbott on Tuesday directed Texas Health and Human Services Commission Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center for potential violations of state law and contractual obligations.
REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS
A Spanish-language billboard promotes birth packages at Mission Regional Medical Center, advertising pricing for natural deliveries and C-sections in South Texas. (Right Angle News)
Images of the billboard circulated on social media before the hospital said it removed the advertisements Monday.
“Birth tourism’ is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year,” Abbott wrote in a July 7 letter obtained by Fox News. “Unfortunately, thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.”
TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
An English-language billboard promotes birth packages at Mission Regional Medical Center, advertising pricing for natural deliveries and C-sections in South Texas. (Right Angle News)
Abbott directed HHSC to “immediately and thoroughly investigate” the hospital and said any violations should be referred to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for potential criminal prosecution.
“American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism,” Abbott wrote.
The governor also said he plans to work with the Texas Legislature during its next session “to strengthen state law and eliminate birth tourism in Texas.”
“Unfortunately, birth tourism operations are not a new phenomenon,” General Counsel of the Oversight Project Kyle Brosnan said to Fox News Digital in a statement. “The Supreme Court’s egregiously wrong decision in the birthright citizenship case is going to open the floodgates to the birth tourism industry. Our country is much more than a pile of magic dirt. The only answer to these type of practices are criminal investigations and the mass deportation of illegal aliens.”
Mission Regional Medical Center also said it intends to cooperate with state officials.
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“We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials,” the hospital said in a statement obtained by Fox News. “Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services.”
The investigation comes as President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit automatic birthright citizenship for some children born in the United States remains the subject of ongoing legal challenges.
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