We begin tonight with some breaking news of the most consequential media trial in decades. The 1.6-billion-dollar defamation case against Fox News. Late this afternoon, the judge announced the settlement was reached between Dominion Voting Systems and the cable media giant. The CEO of the voting machine company says Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion and has agreed to pay nearly eight hundred million dollars to settle the case. Fox said in a statement quote “We acknowledge the court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false.” That’s not a direct admission of guilt but Fox is seeking to avoid the embarrassment and the media circus of having its top stars and executives appears on the witness stand.

This was a true last-minute settlement. Just after opening statements were set to begin, Judge E.D announced that the court, the parties have resolved their case. A blockbuster settlement averting a potentially landmark trial. Lawyers Dominion Voting Systems celebrated their settlement with Fox News this afternoon, announcing that the company would pay Dominion more than seven-hundred-eighty-seven-million dollars. Dominion had been seeking 1.6 billion dollars in damages from Fox for defamation, arguing the company knew the claims of election fraud aired by their guests and some of their hosts were false and aired them anyway, damaging Dominion’s reputation and business in the process. Attorney for Fox left the courthouse without comment. In the statement, the company did not apologize, though they acknowledged the court found some of Fox’s claims about Dominion to be false. With the settlement, Fox News now avoids a six-week trial. Dominion’s attorney wouldn’t say whether there was anything else in the settlement besides money.