Rupert Murdoch Deposed in The Other Multi-Billion Dollar Defamation Case Against Fox: Report

Press Association via AP Images

Rupert Murdoch is being deposed in the $2.7 billion defamation suit filed by voting technology company Smartmatic against Fox Corp., according to reporting by CNBC.

The 92-year-old billionaire was expected to be questioned by Smartmatic lawyers Tuesday and Wednesday in Los Angeles, an anonymous source told CNBC.

Murdoch relinquished control of his media empire earlier this month to his son Lachlan Murdoch, and is now “chairman emeritus” of the companies.

Smartmatic has accused Fox Corp. and personalities Maria Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro, and Lou Dobbs of leading a damaging “disinformation campaign” that falsely accused the company’s of “rigging” the 2020 presidential election in favor of Joe Biden. Fox filed a motion to have the suit dismissed but was denied in February by a New York appeals court.

Smartmatic is seeking “in excess of $2.7 billion” in damages. The suit is similar to the one Fox Corp. settled earlier this year with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million, and which primetime star Tucker Carlson blamed for his ouster. Both Fox and Dominion denied Carlson’s claim. Dominion did not require any on-air apologies.

Murdoch’s sworn deposition in the Dominion case showed him criticizing Trump and the MAGA Republicans’ claims of a stolen election.

Smartmatic attorneys have indicated that the company is fully prepared to go to trial and will seek an on-air retraction for the false election claims.

In statement earlier this year, Fox said, “We will be ready to defend this case surrounding extremely newsworthy events when it goes to trial, likely in 2025. As a report prepared by our financial expert shows, Smartmatic’s damages claims are implausible, disconnected from reality, and on its face intended to chill First Amendment freedoms.”