Topline
Newly canceled Fox Business host Lou Dobbs on Saturday tweeted a Washington Post report about his abrupt cancellation that included a reference to his “false election fraud claims” – one of the few instances in which a promoter of former President Donald Trump’s false claims about a stolen election has, intentionally or not, revealed them to be fictitious.
Key Facts
Dobbs, one of Trump’s most vigorous cable news defenders outside Newsmax and One America News, had his show abruptly canceled on Friday after being named in a defamation lawsuit by voting machine company Smartmatic.
In the months following the November election, Dobbs frequently hosted Trump allies like Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell to spread baseless election fraud conspiracy theories.
The Smartmatic complaint labels Dobbs “one of the primary proponents and speakers for the disinformation campaign against Smartmatic” and cites numerous instances in which he himself made false fraud claims.
For instance, Dobbs, on Nov. 16, 2020, allegedly claimed without evidence that Smartmatic is connected to deceased Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and stated, “Only an idiot would try to claim that there were no irregularities.”
Dobbs ran a segment on his show in December in which Open Source Election Technology Institute Director Eddie Perez debunked various false claims about Smartmatic.
Dobbs had the highest-rated show on Fox Business Network, but a Fox spokesperson told Forbes the network “regularly considers programming changes and plans have been in place to launch new formats as appropriate post-election, including on FOX Business.”
Big Number
$2.7 billion. That’s how much Smartmatic is seeking in damages, including $690 million in lost contract revenue and “add-ons or other services that almost always accompany such base contracts.” The figure also includes damage to the firm’s brand, reputation and “enterprise value.”
Crucial Quote
“We are proud of our 2020 election coverage and will vigorously defend this meritless lawsuit in court,” a Fox News Media spokesperson said in a statement to Forbes, pointing to instances, such as the Perez interview, in which the Network has debunked claims about Smartmatic.
Chief Critic
“Notice that The Washington Post feels compelled to call the claims of election fraud ‘false,’” conservative radio host Eric Metaxas said in a tweet that was retweeted by Dobbs. “Methinks they protest too much. Way too much.”
Key Background
Dobbs started at Fox in 2010 and became one of Trump’s key allies on television when the former president came to power. The Post reported in 2019 that some of Trump’s immigration policies were directly influenced by Dobbs and that he would be patched into White House meetings, earning himself the label “unofficial policy whisperer.”
What To Watch For
The name of Dobbs’ show will be changed to Fox Business Tonight and will be temporarily hosted by Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman. Fox said it will announce a new program to replace Dobbs’ show “in the near future.”
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February 07, 2021 at 12:18AM
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Canceled Fox Host Lou Dobbs Tweets Report About His ‘False Election Fraud Claims’ - Forbes
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