FOXA - Top Fox lawyer key to Dominion defamation fight exits company

2023-08-11 16:58:59 ET

Fox's ( NASDAQ: FOX ) ( NASDAQ: FOXA ) top lawyer, General Counsel Viet Dinh, is exiting the company after playing a leading role in the company's litigation with Dominion Voting Systems over claims tied to the 2020 election.

Dinh will leave his position and become a special adviser to the company effective Dec. 31.

He had joined Fox as chief legal and policy officer in 2018, and led all legal, compliance, and regulatory matters, as well as overseen government affairs.

Dominion Voting Systems had sued Fox News for $1.6B, accusing Fox of hurting Dominion's reputation by by spreading false claims that the voting-machine company worked to rig the 2020 election in favor of President Biden.

Dinh led Fox's legal strategy through the litigation -- and after key pretrial rulings came in favor of Dominion, Fox ended up settling the case for $787.5M just after the trial began -- nearly half of what Dominion had been seeking.

Dominion had also said it wouldn't settle without an admission from Fox News that it aired false information. And Fox said "We acknowledge the Court's rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false."

"We appreciate Viet's many contributions and service to Fox as both a board member of 21st Century Fox and in his role over the last five years as a valued member of Fox's leadership team," said CEO Lachlan Murdoch. "We are grateful that he will continue to serve Fox as Special Advisor where we will benefit from his counsel."

More on Fox and Dominion

• Fox slides 6% as voting-machine firm Dominion files $1.6B defamation suit
• Dominion wins partial victory against Fox as $1.6B defamation case heads to trial
• Fox News defamation trial delayed amid reports of settlement push
• Dominion squares off against Fox News in high-stakes $1.6B case
• Dominion, Fox News settle $1.6B defamation case for reported $788M (updated)

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