Fox News Cancels 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' After Smartmatic Hits Network and Hosts with $2.7 Billion Defamation Suit
Fox News has canceled “Lou Dobbs Tonight” following a defamation lawsuit that was filed against Fox News and host Lou Dobbs, among others, for their participation in a “disinformation campaign” about the 2020 election.
The Los Angeles Times broke the story Friday and learned that the popular Fox Business Network program had its final airing on Friday. A Fox News representative confirmed the cancelation.
A replacement for Dobbs is still being sought out. The show will be renamed “Fox Business Tonight” next week in the interim and will feature rotating substitute hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman — who filled in for Dobbs during the show’s final airing — until a new permanent host is announced.
The change in programming and cancelation was routine, according to a Fox News spokesperson.
“As we said in October, Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes and plans have been in place to launch new formats as appropriate post-election, including on Fox Business — this is part of those planned changes,” the spokesperson told NPR.
“A new 5PM program will be announced in the near future.”
Dobbs started his show on the channel in March 2011 and it became one of the most-watched business news programs, CBS News reported.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the 75-year-old remains under contract at Fox News, but it is unlikely Dobbs will appear on the company’s networks again.
News of the cancelation comes a day after voting technology company Smartmatic sued Fox News, three of its hosts and two former lawyers for President Donald Trump — Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani — for $2.7 billion.
The 285-page complaint filed Thursday alleges that the defendants conspired to spread false claims that Florida-based Smartmatic helped steal the presidential election, The Associated Press reported.
The complaint claims that Fox News aired 13 reports that either implied or said the company had stolen the election and that hosts Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro directly benefited from the “disinformation campaign.”
In a statement on behalf of the network and its hosts, Fox News Media rejected the accusations and said it would defend itself against the “meritless” lawsuit.
Fox “is committed to providing the full context of every story with in-depth reporting and clear opinion,” the company said, according to NBC News.
“We are proud of our 2020 election coverage and will vigorously defend this meritless lawsuit in court.”
Former President Donald Trump praised Dobbs Friday evening, according to Reuters.
“Lou Dobbs is and was great,” Trump told the outlet.
“Nobody loves America more than Lou. He had a large and loyal following that will be watching closely for his next move, and that following includes me.”
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