Voting machine firm Smartmatic alleges Newsmax has deleted evidence in lawsuit over false vote-rigging claims

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

May 21, 2024, 5:15 PM EDT


Smartmatic alleges that Newsmax has destroyed evidence in the voting machine company's lawsuit against the right-wing news channel over false claims that Smartmatic helped “rig" the 2020 election, according to court documents made public this week.

Lawyers for Florida-based Smartmatic allege that Newsmax engaged in a “cover-up” by destroying texts and emails of key executives that would demonstrate the network’s knowledge that voting fraud claims being pushed by former President Donald Trump and his allies were untrue. Smartmatic says the deletions occurred after Newsmax had received notice to preserve evidence for the pending suit.

The lawsuit is just one of many major defamation cases filed by Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems against news organizations over false claims about fraud in 2020 election. Most are still pending, and several may go to trial this fall — ensuring that Trump’s claims about a “rigged election” in 2020 will continue to be a focus even as the next presidential election nears.

The potential payments in damages to the plaintiffs are substantial. In 2023, just moments before opening statements in a Delaware courtroom, Fox News paid the voting machine company Dominion a settlement of $787.5 million over similar false claims it made on air.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/smartmatic-alleges-newsmax-deleted-evidence-lawsuit-vote-rig-claims-rcna153231

[Think. Again.]

1. They're rightwingers, it should have been expected.

[captain queeg]

2. I'm shocked.

[Old Crank]

3. That behavior should be criminal

if it isn't already.

[Starseer]

6. Under federal law, it is.

18 USC 1519.

All of the several States have their own version of this, under "spoliation" or similar descriptors.

[Old Crank]

7. Then charge them.

And drag them into jail until their trials.

[FarPoint]

4. Deleted stuff can be recovered...

That is what I have heard....additionally....Does not Smartmatic have copies?

[NanaCat]

8. I think the point is that the info they have

(Perhaps from an insider source) is not the same as what Newsmax turned over.

They wouldn't be making this claim if they didn't know texts were missing.

[surfered]

5. Lying, obstructing, attempting to cove up is what they do.

It’s almost generic with them.