Fox News Seeks Judicial Dismissal of $787 Million Defamation Claim Filed by California Governor Gavin Newsom
California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken legal action against Fox News, accusing the network of defamation in a lawsuit seeking damages of $787 million. The lawsuit revolves around Fox News' coverage of a phone call between Newsom and former President Donald Trump, during a time of immigration raids and protests in Los Angeles [2][3].
The controversy began when Trump deployed armed troops to Los Angeles, a move opposed by Newsom. In this context, Trump was asked about his communication with Newsom, leading to a controversy over whether a call had occurred and when it took place. Fox News host Jesse Watters accused Newsom of lying about the call, a claim that Newsom alleges was part of a broader misinformation campaign by the network [1][2].
However, Watters later offered a half-hearted apology, stating that Newsom was "confusing and unclear," not that he was lying [1]. This apology did not seem to appease Newsom, who has requested that Fox News issue a retraction and an on-air apology to resolve the matter.
Fox News, in response, has moved to dismiss the lawsuit, characterizing it as a "political stunt" aimed at advancing Newsom's potential presidential ambitions. Fox attorneys claim that the lawsuit is intended to harass the network rather than address legitimate reputational harm [1].
In its 45-page motion, Fox noted that Newsom's legal team said they would dismiss the lawsuit if Watters apologized live and on air. The filing by Fox states that Watters' query about why Newsom would "lie" is an opinion based on disclosed facts that enjoys full First Amendment protections.
Gov. Newsom has maintained that Trump's claim of a call on June 10 was unrelated to the immigration-related protests in Los Angeles. President Trump, on the other hand, shared logs of the conversation that occurred days earlier after Newsom claimed "there was no call."
In his recounting of events, Gov. Newsom stated that he had spoken with Trump at 1:28 a.m. on June 7. However, according to Trump, they spoke on June 10. In his apology statement, Watters conceded that Newsom "didn't deceive anybody on purpose."
The case is currently in a phase where the court will decide whether to proceed with the lawsuit. If the motion is denied, the case could move forward, potentially involving discovery and trial phases. The outcome of this legal battle between Gov. Newsom and Fox News promises to be a fascinating development in the world of media and politics.
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