Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch is expected to be called to the witness stand in the trial of Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against his company as soon as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter.
Jury selection in the case is set to begin Thursday in Delaware, with opening arguments set for Monday. Murdoch would be the second witness called, meaning he would likely testify on Monday or Tuesday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the schedule of Dominion’s witnesses has not yet been made public. The first witness is likely to be an expert on the Constitution’s First Amendment who will explain defamation law to jurors, the people said.
Murdoch is likely to be grilled about Fox News’ oversight of hosts and guests who repeatedly made false claims that Dominion’s machines were engineered to steal votes from then-President Donald Trump and give them to Democratic challenger Joe Biden and the company was set up by foreign businessmen specifically to rig elections. In a pre-trial deposition, Murdoch acknowledged he didn’t believe Dominion “engaged in a massive and coordinated effort to steal the 2020 presidential election.”
Others from Fox slated to testify in the case include Murdoch’s son, Lachlan, Fox Corp.’s CEO, Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Tucker Carlson and ex-host Lou Dobbs. The trial in Wilmington, Delaware, is slated to last six weeks.
