Fox News Argues That Tucker Carlson Doesn’t Have to Report Facts
Tucker Carlson has had an eventful last few weeks. The anchor made incredibly disparaging comments about the black community during a recent show. This has caused Carlson, who has been hemorrhaging advertisers over the past year, to lose even more sponsors.
Fox News has never made a move to discipline Carlson despite his numerous missteps. In fact, the network doesn’t even expect its star anchor to tell the truth. While fighting a current lawsuit, Fox’s lawyers argued that the show is commentary and doesn’t have to be factual.
The lawsuit is in regard to the Fox hosts comments about Karen McDougal. McDougal is a former Playboy model who claims to have had an affair with Donald Trump.
The former model is suing the network for slander over comments made by Carlson in 2018. The Fox host said of McDougal and Stormy Daniels, “Two women approached Donald Trump and threatened to ruin his career and humiliate his family if he doesn’t give them money. Now that sounds like a classic case of extortion.”
Fox’s lawyer, Erin Murphy, argued, “What we’re talking about here, it’s not the front page of the New York Times. It’s Tucker Carlson Tonight, which is a commentary show.”
Quite the endorsement, this. “Carlson doesn't have an obligation to investigate the truth of statements before making them on his show and his audience doesn't expect him to report facts, a lawyer for Fox News told a New York federal judge on Wed.” https://t.co/dRoaIueXqT
— Zaki Hasan (@zakiscorner) June 17, 2020
The Judge in the case, Mary Kay Vyskocil, asked the lawyer, “Does somebody in Mr. Carlson’s position have the duty of inquiry?”
Murphy responded, “Not as to an actual malice standard. The Supreme Court could not be clearer.”
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