Smartmatic Accused of Bribery, Still Sues Fox for 'False Claims'
Federal prosecutors have unsealed charges against voting technology firm Smartmatic for money laundering and bribery, alleging their executives paid over $1 million to officials in the Philippines for a contract to run the 2016 presidential election. This comes as Smartmatic (the alleged bribers) is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion over 'false claims' that the company rigged the 2020 U.S.
presidential election. One might wonder where the line between 'false claims' and 'alleged criminal activity to secure contracts' truly lies in the public square, especially when the same company is involved. It appears that the standard for truth-telling can be quite flexible, depending on if you're the accuser or the accused. Smartmatic demands a hefty sum for damage to its reputation from Fox,
while simultaneously facing charges for allegedly undermining electoral integrity through illicit payments. The optics of a company embroiled in a federal bribery scandal simultaneously litigating a defamation case over election impropriety are, shall we say, *robust*.