Fox News hit with major lawsuit – discover who’s behind it

Arizona Man Files Defamation Suit Against Fox News Over Capitol Protest Coverage

Ray Epps, a man present during the Capitol protest on January 6, 2021, has filed a defamation suit against Fox News. The suit alleges that Fox falsely reported Epps was working as an undercover agent for the federal government during the Capitol incursion.

“Just as Fox had focused on voting machine companies when falsely claiming a rigged election, Fox knew it needed a scapegoat for January 6th. It settled on Ray Epps and began promoting the lie that Epps was a federal agent who incited the attack on the Capitol,” the complaint states.

The suit specifically calls out former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s coverage, noting that he dedicated over two dozen segments to Epps. The complaint also criticizes Revolver reporter Darren Beattie, whom Carlson had on his program multiple times to discuss Epps, referring to him as a “discredited conspiracy theorist.”

In an October 2021 appearance on Carlson’s show, Beattie claimed that Epps repeatedly directed groups to go into the Capitol, stating, “He is everywhere, he’s all around the Capitol shepherding people to go to the Capitol, where ‘our problems are.'”

Others, including Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, have raised questions about Epps based on video evidence. Massie even showed footage of a man reported to be Epps to Attorney General Merrick Garland during a House oversight hearing.

I just played this video for AG Merrick Garland. He refused to comment on how many agents or assets of the federal government were present in the crowd on Jan 5th and 6th and how many entered the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/lvd9n4mMHK

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 21, 2021

According to a report by The U.K. Independent in January 2022, the FBI “can’t say” who Epps is. He appeared on the agency’s most wanted list after the January 6 incursion but was later removed and not charged with any crime.

Epps’ complaint accuses Fox of acting with malice and causing him significant damages, including harassment, death threats, financial loss, and mental and physical suffering. He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

The lawsuit serves as a reminder that false reporting can have serious consequences, as demonstrated by Fox’s recent settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. Fox fired Carlson the same week it agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million in a defamation suit related to its coverage of the 2020 election.

Both Dominion and Fox have denied that Carlson’s departure was part of the settlement agreement.

Source: The Western Journal