Fact Check: Texts proved the fox reporters knew there was no election fraud

Fact Check: "Texts proved the fox reporters knew there was no election fraud"

What We Know

Recent legal filings from Dominion Voting Systems reveal that many prominent Fox News personalities privately expressed skepticism about the claims of election fraud following the 2020 presidential election. Text messages disclosed in the lawsuit show that hosts like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham not only doubted the veracity of these claims but also ridiculed the individuals promoting them, such as Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. For instance, Carlson texted Ingraham on November 18, 2020, stating, “Sidney Powell is lying by the way. I caught her. It’s insane” (New York Times). Ingraham responded, “Sidney is a complete nut. No one will work with her. Ditto with Rudy” (NPR). Furthermore, Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of Fox Corporation, referred to Trump’s voter fraud claims as “really crazy stuff” (New York Times).

Analysis

The evidence presented in the Dominion lawsuit is substantial and comes from credible sources, including internal communications from Fox News personalities and executives. The texts reveal a stark contrast between what Fox News reported on-air and what its stars believed privately. For example, Carlson's admission that “our viewers are good people and they believe it” indicates an awareness of the misinformation being propagated (New York Times).

The reliability of these sources is bolstered by the context of the lawsuit, which seeks to hold Fox accountable for defamation. The motivations of the individuals involved, particularly in a high-stakes legal environment, lend credibility to their private admissions of disbelief regarding election fraud claims. Additionally, the fact that these messages were revealed as part of a legal proceeding suggests they were not fabricated or taken out of context.

However, it is important to note that Fox News has publicly denied the allegations made by Dominion, claiming that the lawsuit mischaracterizes the network's reporting and cherry-picks quotes (NPR). Despite this, the overwhelming evidence from the texts suggests a clear acknowledgment among Fox News stars that the claims they were broadcasting lacked credibility.

Conclusion

The claim that "texts proved the fox reporters knew there was no election fraud" is True. The internal communications from Fox News personalities reveal a consistent pattern of disbelief regarding the election fraud claims that were promoted on-air. This discrepancy highlights a significant ethical concern within the network, as they continued to air content they privately deemed false.