I don’t want to punch the panic button here, merely to speculate on all of the possibilities. The judge in the Dominion v. Fox News defamation case has continued the trial from Monday until Tuesday. That is not usually an earthshaking development in any case, but since all eyes and ears are focused on this particular courtroom battle, anything that would be mundane in a normal case suddenly becomes fever pitch in this one.
We don’t know why the 24-hour continuance but speculation is afoot that maybe Fox News is offering settlement negotiations.
That would be a bad idea for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, this is a chance to change the law and hold Fox News accountable. It is a chance to get Fox News to not only account legally for what they’ve done on the air, spreading Donald Trump’s toxic Big Lie, but it would be potentially a chance for Fox News to have to identify itself as entertainment more so than as a news organization. Potentially, right-wing media in the future would find itself constrained from doing what Fox News did both before and after the 2020 election. These are all good things. That said, so is a large settlement and if Dominion can get what it wants without going to trial, maybe that’s what they will do.
I’m going to reup this. https://t.co/fcFEMwhnJl
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) April 17, 2023
I’m feeling settlement talks. Need more time. DON’T SETTLE! https://t.co/fyD6RdvyPf
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) April 17, 2023
Again, not saying that it’s time to hit the panic button. It’s merely time to take notice that some kind of a small glitch has occurred, resulting in a 24-hour delay. In a worse case scenario we may be deprived of the epic sight of Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo, Tucker Carlson. Laura Ingraham and others testify about their actions, along with transcripts of what they actually said and did.
I hope we don’t have to forego that satisfaction. It would be unjust, not to mention anti-climactic.
So let’s hope for the best. Let’s also prepare for the worse and not be surprised by anything in between.
I don’t think so Ursula…I heard late yesterday that the judge had offered the Dominion lawyers an additional 24 hours to review the documents the FUX News lawyers had tried to play hide-the-salami with…And the FUX lawyers sent the judge a 56 page “apology” for the “misunderstanding”…Why apologize f you’re going to settle up? I think Dominion called for their time…They’ve come this far, and their case looks ironclad…In my opinion Dominion wants FUX to go through what they put Dominion through…
GMTA. Apparently we were posting at the same time.
From your lips to God’s ears
I don’t think Dominion would go this far just to settle. If all they were after was the money, that could have happened a lot sooner. I think this may have to do with the delayed discovery the judge was informed of last week. He gave Dominion the opportunity to depose anyone else they needed to, on Fox’s dime, to fully explore that new information. Fingers crossed that is what is happening tomorrow. For them to just accept money and drop the case now, when they have proved everything but actual malice (which they actually proved, but the judge thought the jury should decide that) doesn’t make sense.
Of one thing I’m certain – Fox has been making settlement overtures for a long time. I’m also sure that with revelations of the past couple of months they have upped their offer “bigly.” Dominion has a very strong case. They know it and more importantly Fox knows it. Now, Dominion might be tempted by say a five billion settlement IF the amount were to be revealed but I think they want more than that. Yes, they’d be rolling the dice but they could get a lot more. I also think they want Fox to have to acknowledge on air in prime time by the very hosts who spouted the lies and hosted guests doing the same that it was all BULLSH!T!!!!! If there were to be any settlement I’m pretty sure Dominion would trade a few billion for that condition, as well as insist the entire settlement be a matter of court and public record.
Given all that I doubt pushing the trial for a day is due to some breakthrough in informal settlement talks suddenly becoming serious. What makes more sense is the revelations that Fox’s lawyers lied to the judge about disclosure and his indicating he is leaning towards appointing a Special Master. So, the judge may well want to address that with attorneys for both sides tomorrow. Or Dominion which has been caught flat-footed by this very recent development that they want to revisit some of the rulings governing the proceedings to allow them to delve into areas where they formally were going to be limited. That too is something that would take at least a day with the judge to sort out. Maybe longer.
So, there are two quite plausible reasons to put things off for a day other than settlement talks getting serious.
Maybe Murdock bought the “judges” mothers house last Friday for 100 million.
That’s how the Russians funded fat @ss and that’s how you normally bribe “judges”.
That’s how a hack “judge” in a sh1t hole Michigan County owns a 5.8 million dollar house in floridumb….
Ex-fox host Grethchen Carlson is tweeting – telling Dominion to not settle. She has an NDA but can at least “hint.” It’s got to go to trial. HAS TO. Fux viewers have no clue they’re being played. Or…..they’re demanding Fux play them.