Fox News has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County in an attempt to obtain public records related to the county’s relationship with Smartmatic Corp., a voting technology company. This legal action comes after a New York court of appeals refused to dismiss Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit, which alleges that Fox News spread false conspiracy theories about the company’s involvement in rigging the 2020 election.
The lawsuit claims that Fox News has uncovered evidence suggesting corruption between LA County officials and Smartmatic employees during the bidding process for voting technology contracts. The network asserts that personal benefits, including some undisclosed ones, were provided by Smartmatic to a county official. Fox News contends that these records are essential for its defense against Smartmatic’s defamation suit, as they may reveal evidence of corruption that could undermine Smartmatic’s claims.
Despite making multiple requests under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), Fox News alleges that LA County has not been fully cooperative in providing the relevant documents. While the county has produced some records, Fox News claims that many documents are missing or incomplete, especially those relating to a county agency head who allegedly received personal benefits from Smartmatic. The lawsuit also highlights the county’s failure to produce documents about interactions between Smartmatic employees and county elections officials surrounding the 2020 election.
Fox News is particularly focused on the relationship between Smartmatic and LA County due to the defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, which claims that Fox News’s coverage of the 2020 election damaged the company’s reputation and caused it to lose business. The network argues that the timing and nature of the Smartmatic lawsuit are crucial, as it hinges on the claim that Smartmatic’s work with LA County was a springboard for its expansion in the U.S. market. Therefore, Fox News seeks to determine whether Smartmatic’s business dealings with LA County were legitimate.
The lawsuit also references the federal indictment of three current and former Smartmatic executives, including the company’s cofounder, Roger Piñate Jr., who are charged with bribery and money laundering in connection with contracts awarded for the 2016 Philippine elections. Fox News points out that Smartmatic’s website once highlighted Piñate’s role in securing contracts both in the Philippines and with LA County, though these references were removed after his indictment. This, the network argues, raises questions about the integrity of the company’s operations.
In its public records request, Fox News sought documents showing interactions between Smartmatic and county officials, particularly related to the awarding of contracts for election technology. The network also requested a report from an outsourced law firm that reviewed significant contracts awarded by the county between 2008 and 2020. However, the county allegedly refused to provide these records or failed to produce them in full.
The lawsuit highlights specific instances of alleged improper behavior, including a trip to Taiwan in which Smartmatic allegedly paid for LA County Registrar-Recorder and County Clerk Dean Logan’s business class flight, hotel stay, and meals while he observed the manufacturing of voting devices. The trip, which also included sightseeing and personal time, was not documented in the records produced by the county. Another example cited in the lawsuit involves a dinner at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, where Smartmatic employee Daniel Murphy reportedly paid for Logan’s outing. Again, no records related to this event were produced by the county.
Fox News argues that these incidents raise concerns about potential corruption and the need for transparency in the awarding of contracts. The lawsuit emphasizes that such matters are of public interest, as taxpayers deserve to know whether government officials are engaging in unethical or illegal behavior. The network also points out that corruption has been a significant issue in California in recent years, making it even more critical to scrutinize the relationship between Smartmatic and LA County.
Ultimately, Fox News seeks to uncover evidence that could help its defense in the defamation lawsuit and shed light on the awarding of election technology contracts in LA County. The network argues that the public has a right to know whether Smartmatic’s business dealings with the county were legitimate and whether any corruption was involved. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for both Fox News and Smartmatic, as well as for the broader issue of transparency in government contracting.
