Smartmatic is Suing to Obtain Secret Court Documents in Murdoch Family Feud
Smartmatic, the voting technology company, is trying to obtain evidence from the secret court battle between media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his children over the future of his right-wing media empire. The company is seeking to examine sealed documents from the family fight, including transcripts of depositions or trial testimony from Murdoch and his family members, who control Fox’s parent company.
This move is part of Smartmatic’s massive defamation lawsuit against Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corporation. The company claims that Fox’s on-air hosts and guests falsely accused Smartmatic of rigging the 2020 election to help elect Joe Biden. Fox denies that it defamed anyone.
The Murdoch family has been fighting over succession in a Reno court, with a probate commissioner rejecting an attempt by Murdoch to retool the family trust so his conservative son, Lachlan, could lead Fox Corporation after his death. Smartmatic believes that testimony from the Nevada case could contradict past assertions that control of the parent company does not impact the editorial direction of Fox News.
The company has gone directly to the probate court in Nevada, asking a commissioner to turn over some of the secret documents in the Murdoch family fight. If successful, the documents could help Smartmatic’s case against Fox. The case is set for trial next year, unless there is an out-of-court settlement.
