Fact Check: Fox News tried to cover up the 2020 election conspiracies.

Fact Check: "Fox News tried to cover up the 2020 election conspiracies."

What We Know

Following the 2020 presidential election, Fox News aired numerous claims of election fraud, particularly focusing on Dominion Voting Systems, which were later deemed baseless. Internal communications revealed that many Fox News personalities privately expressed skepticism about these claims, describing them as "ludicrous" and "nonsense" (NPR, AP News). In April 2023, Fox News reached a $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in a defamation lawsuit, which was initiated due to the network's promotion of false claims about the election (AP News). This settlement was significant, amounting to about one-quarter of Fox's reported earnings for the previous year, indicating the financial stakes involved in the case (AP News).

Analysis

The claim that Fox News attempted to cover up the 2020 election conspiracies can be evaluated through the lens of their internal communications and the subsequent legal actions. While the network publicly aired claims of election fraud, behind the scenes, many of its stars and executives were aware that these claims lacked evidence. For instance, Fox News host Maria Bartiromo admitted that an email containing election fraud allegations was "not evidence" (NPR). This discrepancy between public statements and private beliefs raises questions about the network's integrity and intentions.

The reliability of the sources used in this analysis is strong. Major news organizations like NPR and AP News have reported extensively on the Dominion lawsuit and the internal communications of Fox News. These reports are based on court documents and interviews with involved parties, lending credibility to their findings (NPR, AP News). However, it is important to note that Fox News has defended its actions by arguing that it was merely covering newsworthy allegations made by the then-sitting president, suggesting a potential bias in how the narrative is framed (NPR).

Conclusion

The claim that "Fox News tried to cover up the 2020 election conspiracies" is Partially True. While it is evident that Fox News aired unfounded claims of election fraud and that many within the organization privately doubted these claims, the network has maintained that it was reporting on allegations made by political figures. The settlement with Dominion Voting Systems further underscores the serious implications of their reporting practices, suggesting that there were indeed efforts to manage the fallout from these conspiracies, albeit framed as a legal and financial necessity rather than a straightforward cover-up.