Fox News apologizes to judge overseeing Dominion case: ‘This was a misunderstanding’

Fox News has officially apologized to the judge overseeing Dominion’s $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit after a late-stage admission revealing Rupert Murdoch’s function as an officer at Fox News was addressed in court docket this week.

In a letter submitted to the court docket on Friday, Fox legal professional Blake Rohrbacher described the location as a “misunderstanding” and stated they “understand the Court’s concerns, apologize, and are committed to clear and full communication with the Court moving forward.”

The letter comes after Fox was sanctioned this week after Judge Eric Davis stated they made misrepresentations to the court docket and behind schedule turning over proof.

Specifically, Dominion’s lawyers stated that the community had hid Murdoch’s authentic function as an officer at Fox News till days ahead of trial– a past due degree admission they stated avoided them from acquiring extra proof relating to him. Davis had stated Fox have been “evasive,” noting he had for my part requested them about it all through an previous listening to, and requested ‘What do I do with lawyers that don’t seem to be simple with me?”

Judge Davis stated he would “possibly” appoint a special master to investigate whether representations by Fox made to the court as part of the case were “unfaithful or negligent.” He also ordered Fox attorneys to preserve all communications related to the issue.

“I’m very uncomfortable at the moment,” Davis said. “I’m going to allow you to know — I’m very uncomfortable.”

Dominion said in court this week that Fox News’ lack of disclosure regarding Murdoch’s position with Fox News had hindered, among other things, their ability to obtain evidence regarding him.

“We had been litigating according to this false premise that Rupert Murdoch wasn’t an officer of Fox News,” Dominion’s attorney, Justin Nelson, told the judge. Nelson also pointed out that Murdoch himself said during his deposition that he was not an officer of Fox News.

The judge appeared taken aback by the revelation, which first arose on Tuesday, saying Fox attorneys had been “evasive.”

“I would like folks to inform me the reality,” Davis said on Wednesday. “And by way of the best way, omission is a lie.”

“He’s an officer. He’s accountable. He has tasks,” Davis said earlier of Murdoch. “You do not get away duties by way of pronouncing he does not do anything else.”

In the letter, Rohrbacher said Fox “by no means supposed to put out of your mind information from previous submissions to the Court or to fail to absolutely reply to the Court’s questions.”

“This was a false impression,” the letter continued.

In its letter, however, Fox pushed back on the idea that the omission hurt Dominion.

“With regards to Dominion’s rivalry that it’s been prejudiced, Fox disagrees and respectfully requests a chance to deal with and reply to that rivalry after Dominion seeks written reduction from the Court,” the letter stated.