Lachlan Murdoch knew Fox News claim of stolen US election was false, Crikey will argue in defamation trial

Publisher’s defence in case brought by News Corp co-chairman relies in part upon Dominion’s US suit against media giant

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Lachlan Murdoch allowed Fox News hosts to peddle the claim that the US presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump despite knowing it was false, Crikey will argue in a defence of contextual truth in its upcoming defamation trial.

The 36-page defence, which has been filed by the Crikey publisher, Private Media, in the federal court ahead of an October trial, substantially relies upon events in the US, where Dominion brought a $1.6bn defamation suit against the media company for spreading election lies.

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