WASHINGTON (AP) — Fox News has filed a motion to dismiss a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems over claims about the 2020 presidential election. The cable news giant argued in court papers filed Tuesday that its coverage is protected by the First Amendment. It says that the Constitution safeguards the right to a free press and that well-established doctrine gives the media the ability to report without fear of liability. Dominion argued in March that Fox News, in an effort to boost faltering ratings, falsely claimed that the voting company had rigged the 2020 election in favor of President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump.
