CNN anchor Jake Tapper laughed while reading Fox News’ statement about the network’s “commitment to the highest journalistic standards” after Fox settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems.
Fox News reached a last-minute settlement with the voting machine company on the first day of what would have a been a high profile weeks long trial to determine whether the conservative network committed actual malice by airing false claims about Dominion after the 2020 presidential election.
The network agreed to a settlement of $787.5 million. Dominion was originally seeking $1.6 billion.
Fox News later released a statement trying to spin the settlement as a positive.
“We are pleased to have reached a settlement of our dispute with Dominion Voting Systems. We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false,” Fox said. “This settlement reflects FOX’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards. We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward.”
Tapper, who was anchoring his weekday show ‘The Lead’ at the time when the news broke, could not help but laugh while reading Fox News’ statement touting their ‘journalistic standards’.
Tapper called the settlement “one of the ugliest and most embarrassing moments in the history of journalism,” then proceeded to read the network’s statement, pausing at times to apologize to viewers for not being able to stop laughing.
“I’m sorry. This is going to be difficult to say with a straight face,”Tapper said.
