On Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom initiated a lawsuit against Fox News, seeking damages of at least $787 million. The lawsuit claims that the conservative network defamed him in its coverage of a phone call he had with former President Donald Trump. Newsom announced the lawsuit via a tweet, emphasizing his stance with the message, “No more lies.” The legal action was filed in the Superior Court of Delaware, the state where Fox News is incorporated.
The amount of damages Newsom is seeking closely mirrors the $787 million settlement agreed upon by Fox Corp. and its cable networks, including Fox News, to resolve a lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems in April 2023. Dominion had accused the networks of defamation by falsely asserting that their voting machines influenced the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Newsom's lawsuit centers around remarks made by Fox News anchor Jesse Watters. Watters claimed that Newsom misrepresented the phone call with Trump that took place in early June. The lawsuit asserts that Fox News was driven to fabricate and distort information on behalf of Trump, who has been in a public dispute with Newsom regarding the deployment of California National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles. This deployment was a response to protests against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement strategies.
In a letter sent to Fox News on the same day the lawsuit was filed, Newsom’s legal team indicated that the governor would be willing to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit if Fox News formally retracts the claim that he lied about Trump not calling him on June 9. Additionally, the letter demands an on-air apology from both Watters and Fox News as a condition for the dismissal of the suit.
In a statement to Politico, Newsom expressed his determination to hold Fox News accountable, stating, “If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences — just like it did in the Dominion case.” He further emphasized his commitment to combating what he described as the network’s "propaganda machine" until they are willing to present the truth.
As of now, CNBC has reached out to Fox News for comments regarding Newsom's lawsuit, but no response has been provided yet. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the relationship between political figures and media outlets, particularly in an age where misinformation is a growing concern.
