Last month, rumors that Fox News was bracing itself for a potential “legal bloodbath” after misleading its millions of viewers about the coronavirus pandemic began circulating. Now, it’s finally happening.
The network and its billionaire owner, Rupert Murdoch, have just been slapped with a lawsuit by a nonprofit in Washington State that is accusing the network of “willfully and maliciously” spreading false information about the severity of the coronavirus pandemic.
Related: Fox News purportedly bracing for “legal bloodbath” after peddling coronavirus misinformation
The 10-page complaint was filed last Thursday by a watchdog organization called the Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics (WASHLITE). In it, the network is accused of launching a “campaign of deception and omission regarding the danger of the international proliferation of the novel coronavirus.”
The lawsuit specifically names Fox News anchors Sean Hannity and Trish Regan, who it says “acted in bad faith to willfully and maliciously disseminate false information denying and minimizing the danger posed by the spread of the novel coronavirus.”
Three weeks ago, Fox announced it had “parted ways” with Regan after she called the coronavirus a politically motivated “scam” by Democrats on her March 9 show. That same day, Hannity called it a “hoax” on his show, but for whatever reason he remains on the air.
Many believe Regan’s firing was a preemptive move on the network’s part to try and stave off any potential lawsuits. Unfortunately for them, the plan didn’t work.
The lawsuit, which also lists as defendants cable networks AT&T TV and COMCAST, which both carry Fox News, continues: “As a result of this misinformation by this dominant subscription news network, a continuing falsehood has been fostered that the virus is a ‘hoax,’ a ‘conspiracy,’ and that it is no more dangerous than common influenza.”
WASHLITE is seeking injunction to prevent Fox News from “interfering with reasonable and necessary measures to contain the virus by publishing further false and deceptive content.” It is also asking for “nominal damages” and “reasonable attorneys’ fees.”
Fox News alum Megyn Kelly, who once worked as an attorney before becoming a mouthpiece for the alt-right, recently tweeted at NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen that a lawsuit against her old network would be “laughed out of court.”
Anyone filing such a lawsuit would be laughed out of court and likely sanctioned by the court for filing a frivolous lawsuit. But, whatever you need to tell yourself to stay occupied during quarantine… https://t.co/c87n1bZSVG
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) March 30, 2020
Fox News released a statement through its lawyer, Lily Fu Claffee, who calls the WASHLITE’s lawsuit “wrong on the facts” and “frivolous on the law.”
Related: Fox News host Jeanine Pirro swears she wasn’t drunk during her show, but everyone else disagrees
Jared MacBride
The lawsuit will get attention and possibly some donations for the non-profit and Fox News will say it proves how the world is against them, which gets them viewers. Everyone will win.
ShiningSex
Too bad Fox doesn’t get pulled. They’re the fakest news network around. They have the worst statistics for false news and bias.
Cam
The people on the right desperately tweeting that the lawsuit will get laughed out of court are terrified.
The problem is, if everybody actually believed that they have a defense. However, Rupert Murdoch canceled a planned party and went into isolation, FOX News executives were sending out memos about all of the precautions people needed to take, while at the SAME TIME their anchors were calling the Coronovirus outbreak fake, and a Democratic hoax.
You can be stupid and ill informed and use it to get out of things. However, you can’t purposely lie about something you know to be untrue.
Not only is Fox in trouble for those reason, but the discovery phase of the case if they don’t settle will force FOX to open up it’s e-mails which could be devastating.
Oh, and if the case is frivolous, then why has FOX been deleting it’s Coronoavirus tweets from the past few months? They’re nervous.
mountainmaat
Well said! Thank you Cam.
frapachino
They’re getting to be as bad as CNN
Cam
Awww, the right wing troll account desperately tries to deflect from the fact that FOX Owners and executives were themselves taking precautions all the while encouraging their presenters to air lies that could lead to the deaths of thousands.
ShiningSex
No one has ever been as bad as FOX. Get with it.
Josh447
Any proof there flipachino?
Den
CNN is undeniably a news station, and clearly differentiates between news and opinion (though generally regressives like you are too intellectually dull to get the difference), even while making some questionable choices about what to cover. By contrast FOX makes NO distinction and goes one step further in actually stating lies and false statistics. Truth and accuracy are anathema to them.
This is why surveys demonstrate that people who get their news from COMEDY SHOWS like Trevor Noah have a more accurate picture of current events than FOX cultists.
masterwill7
@frapuchino: I’m not from the US, so I don’t know about FOX’s credibility. What I do know is that CNN is the world’s best viewed, and most trusted news source everywhere (except in the US maybe?). In almost every airport in the world CNN is on the tv’s, and that says something, never seen FOX anywhere?!? Also, if something happens in the world, I always switch to CNN because they are always first, and have the most reliable facts.. Just my view on the matter.
HenryCameron
@masterwill7 CNN has contracts with the airports and pays them for exclusive rights to be on all those TVs. For example, CNN has a 10-year contract with the Atlanta airport. CNN pays the airport $225,000 per year. CNN then uses the promise of all those captive airport viewers to generate $millions in revenue from advertisers.
Mister P
Fox news thought that marriage equality was going to cause the sky to fall in, but a global pandemic is no bid deal?
Seriously makes me wonder about the critical thinking skills of the rabid right
Den
No need to wonder at all. Just look at the comments from right wingers here. They are completely lacking in critical thinking skills.
Complexity and nuance are totally over their heads.
Tempus
I sadly know people who watch Fox News and it makes me feel nauseous hearing these “news anchors” when I walk into a room. Call me cynical though because as much as I despise Fox News as well as how they often seem to love to spin facts or use half-truths to produce their programming I doubt this lawsuit will go anywhere. Those who love Fox News will convenient forget this ever happened and it’ll probably give them a boost in viewers. I’m not saying nothing will happen but if they do pay out any cash it’ll be a drop in the bucket.
ShiningSex
Sue those idiots
David Myers
If it is not already a class action law suit, one should be launched on behalf of the governors and citizens of the most effected states (soon to be all states?).
justyouandi
In the beginning of this crisis everybody was assuming the info they were getting from the WHO (World Health Organization) was accurate. THAT’S where the misinformation began, along with what China was saying (or NOT saying!) at the time.
I’ve watched equally MSNBC, CNN, and FOX. Over time I’ve found the best source of news which, in time, proves to be the most accurate is FOX.
There! I said it!
Cam
Wow, you really broke out an old screename didn’t you? You thought it had been so long since you used this one to defend Republican bigots that you could pretend to be non-biased in your defense of FOX?
LOL!!!! Oh, nice try Sweetums.
justyouandi
Cam, I have never used any other screen name. Why would you think I had?
inbama
How’s the weather in Moscow these days, justy?
Invader7
Anyone who believes the pathological LIARS on Fox News deserves EVERYTHING coming their way. The Fox brown nosers are too gullible and easily fooled. They’re probably buying every FAKE Covid-19 “cure” !! And Megyn Kelly got has NO credibility . She’s a Fox News WHORE who is desperate to stay relevant .She’s NOT anymore !! Fox = FAKE News !!
gmaninla1001
When all is said and done, Fox News and – if it were up to me – Fox Broadcasting would have their broadcast licenses taken away.
Where is the FCC through all of this?
Oh – they’re probably owned by the Trump administration as well.
sonic_source
The head of the FCC was handpicked by Trump so, in a way, the Trump Administration does own the FCC.
Black Pegasus
There are tons of video compilations online which shows CNN along with MSNBC dismissing the COVID-19 as nothing to be concerned about. Fox isn’t alone but you won’t hear the blue checkmark mob on social media mention that fact.
All of you (on the left and the right) are bad faith actors! You deserve the outcomes you get!
Cam
Except you can’t point us to any of them can you?
And I love that you keep trying to “Both sides” everything, yet you only come on here to defend FOX or Republicans. You’re not fooling anybody.
Peter
Please give us the link to the “tons of video compilations” on MSNBC dismissing the seriousness of Covid-19. I watch MSNBC every night and have never heard a word uttered by Chris or Rachel downplaying the virus; in fact, it’s just the opposite. We’re waiting…
fur_hunter
So many DO NOT KNOW that Fox is listed as an entertainment channel…..NOT a legitimate news channel and are most likely NOT held to the same standards and regulations as a legitimate news channel. Wait and see. Their lawyers will give that EXCUSE to get them off the hook. Personally, I hope Fox loses the lawsuit and has to pay BILLIONS in damages……..BUT…..you wait and see. I’ll bet it NEVER happens and they are let off the hook without anyone going to jail or having to pay any damages.
skeptical
It may turn out that the death rate is lower than from the flu. Nobody know that number right now because nobody know how many people are infected. They only know how many people show symptoms serious enough to want a test.
masterwill7
BS!!! Look at the numbers in Europe! It’s somewhere between 5% and 7% (with numbers up to 10%+ depending on average age, example Italy and Spain).. Flu has a 0.2 mortality rate, that’s a huge difference.
Kangol2
Good. FoxNews is a destructive right-wing propagandistic outfit with only a handful of decent correspondents and on-air talent left, so sue them out of existence. The even more politically bankrupt, farcical and wacked out OAN will step in to take their place.
midwest sensible
It’s too much to hope that this lawsuit would be successful and lead to the demise of Fox, but i will remain hopeful. What a lousy bunch of rabid ultra right wing gasbags!
jckfmsincty
Trump TV continues its massive disservice to our country. It preys on the primitively defended people who watch it (like our incompetent President).
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
It never ceases to amaze me just how many lemming-like lunatics lap the misinformation from FAUX News.
Unbelievably some of its Anchors are actually beginning to question the Orange Turd Puppet and it’s attempt to turn this country into a dictatorial theocracy. he has been throwing Twitter temper tantrums about it and has been showing favor to the OAN network….
Joshooeerr
The expose of Murdoch newspapers telephone hacking practices in the UK led to one of Rupert’s key mastheads being closed down. With any luck this will lead to the same for Fox News. The tide is turning.
fur_hunter
Another channel that people are listening to is OAN. This station has less factual news than Fox does. Yeah. Believe it or not. They are constantly patting the Orange MORON on the back for a job well done. I hope those imbeciles who watch the Orange MORON, OAN and/or Fox, believing the virus is a hoax as Hannity has told everyone, gets the virus and drops dead. It will rid the planet of a bunch of stupid idiot sheep who can’t think for themselves. For the rest of you, take care, stay safe and be well.
rocknstan
Oh … and while I am here commenting about the virus amid FAUX’s intentional misinformation and our lack of effective federal leadership, I add:
Lock every church door in the nation before the flock infects the other 50% of us with their ignorance.
SportGuy
Good, fox “news” is just as bad as that orange lying donnie dotard