Fresh court documents from Dominion Voting Systems’ lawsuit against Fox News Corp FOXA FOX reveal a stark contrast to the on-air persona of TV host Tucker Carlson.
What Happened: The filings expose private text messages where Carlson expressed intense animosity toward former President Donald Trump following the 2020 election.
Carlson said that he "hated [Trump] passionately" and was "very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights."
Related: Hosts Hannity, Carlson's Private Views Exposed In Fox/Dominion Election Case
The disclosures stand in contrast to Carlson's public image as a Trump supporter and personal friend. Further, the filings indicate that Carlson's sentiments about Trump were shared by other top executives and hosts at Fox News.
Dominion Voting Systems argues that the network purposely allowed false claims of election rigging in favor of President Joe Biden to be aired on its programs, seriously damaging Dominion's economic future.
The documents reveal internal communications and sworn testimony, indicating that even as the network continued to air the false claims, top executives and hosts privately doubted their veracity.
The materials unveiled a group text message in which prime-time hosts Sean Hannity, Carlson, and Laura Ingraham discussed their power and how they could force a change at Fox News. Hannity and Steve Doocy attacked the reporting of their colleagues on the "straight news" side of the network in a series of November 2020 text messages.
The text messages also reveal that Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch divulged confidential campaign ad information to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and advisor.
In December 2020, Fox News DC Managing Editor Bill Sammon expressed his concerns that the network's coverage of false election claims had become an "existential crisis" for the network.
The revelations raise questions about the integrity of Fox News' coverage and its motivations, including fears of losing Trump-supporting viewers.
The material also suggests that weak ratings can lead to poor journalism, as noted by Sammon, who said, "it's remarkable how weak ratings make good journalists do bad things."
A spokesperson representing Fox News recently made contact with Benzinga and provided an official statement: "There will be a lot of noise and confusion generated by Dominion and their opportunistic private equity owners, but the core of this case remains about freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which are fundamental rights afforded by the Constitution and protected by New York Times v. Sullivan.”
Meanwhile, the White House responded Wednesday in an official statement, condemning Carlson's false claims that the Jan. 6 insurrection was "peaceful."
Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson "is not credible," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said. "We agree with the chief of the Capitol Police and the wide range of bipartisan lawmakers who have condemned this false depiction of the unprecedented, violent attack on our Constitution and the rule of law – which cost police officers their lives."
Next: Trump Lashes Out At Fox News, Rupert Murdoch, Says 'Time To Get Rid Of Fake News'
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