Fox News is facing a defamation lawsuit filed by former Biden administration disinformation chief, Nina Jankowicz. As an expert in disinformation and vice president at the Centre for Information Resilience in Washington, D.C., Jankowicz alleges that Fox News told "destructive" lies which harmed her career and threatened her safety.
The suit accuses the network's employee hosts and commentators of repeatedly deriding and lying about Jankowicz on air. The plaintiff claims that these malicious falsehoods were intentionally trafficked by Fox News to increase its profits at the expense of her safety and well-being.
In addition to this lawsuit, Fox News also faces a $2.7 billion lawsuit from election technology company Smartmatic as well as accusations of sexual discrimination from former producer Abby Grossberg.
Representatives for Fox News did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment regarding these legal matters.
Jankowicz asserts that she was portrayed by Fox News as someone who censors Americans' speech, leading to violent threats against her. The lawsuit further alleges that threatening comments were made on Gab, a social media platform known for its far-right user base, and another website called Patriots.
Fox has denied any wrongdoing in response to these allegations but now finds itself seeking $2.7 billion in damages amidst multiple lawsuits targeting various aspects of their operation.
Nina Jankowicz remains steadfast in pursuing justice through this defamation suit: "My reputation is my most valuable asset," she said during an interview with Axios. "I will not allow it or my work to be undermined by destructive lies propagated by a news organization."
With mounting legal challenges ahead for both parties involved, it remains uncertain how long it will take before each case reaches resolution or what impact they may have on future journalistic practices within the industry at large.