Voting Technology Company Reaches Settlement with Far-Right News Outlet Over 2020 Election Allegations

Smartmatic, a voting technology company, has settled a defamation lawsuit against conservative news outlet One America News Network. The settlement comes as part of a larger legal battle against voting equipment companies that were falsely accused of flipping votes in the 2020 presidential election.

In a statement, Smartmatic announced that it had reached a confidential settlement with OANN, and the lawsuit was dismissed in federal court in the District of Columbia. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed by either party’s attorneys.

Smartmatic, which had limited use of its voting technology in Los Angeles County, became a target of conspiracy theories claiming it was involved in a vast election fraud scheme to benefit Democrat Joe Biden. The company also provides voting services in Venezuela, which fueled the false claims.

This settlement follows a similar case where Fox News paid $787 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit over false claims about election rigging. Dominion has other active defamation lawsuits, including one against OANN.

The legal pushback by voting equipment companies highlights the consequences of spreading misinformation and false claims about election integrity. As the dust settles on these lawsuits, it serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate reporting and accountability in the media landscape.