(The Hill) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is suing Fox News for defamation, alleging the network misrepresented a call President Trump said he had with the Democrat as the two politicians fought about immigration enforcement in the area.
Newsom’s suit, which was reported by multiple news outlets, seeks $787 million in damages and mirrors the amount the network agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems after the 2020 election to settle a separate defamation suit.
The governor’s attorneys argue Fox defamed Newsom when host Jesse Watters claimed the governor lied about when he spoke with President Trump on the weekend of June 6.
Newsom said at the time he last spoke with Trump on June 6, but Trump told reporters on June 10 he spoke with the California governor “a day ago,” Politico reported.
Watters’ comments on the back and forth amount to defamation, the Democrat’s attorneys argue.
In order to prove defamation, plaintiffs must show that media members acted with “actual malice” to harm a public official’s reputation, a high legal bar to clear.
“If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences — just like it did in the Dominion case,” Newsom told the outlet in a statement. “Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine.”
Fox News did not immediately provide comment.
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