Apr 26, 2023 2 min read

The settlement that was reached between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News to the sweet tune of $787.5 million affirms Fox News’ reckless and unrelenting dissemination of the Big Lie generated by Donald Trump and his allies.

However, there surely is no joy in this victory for truth and accountability. What we have here is an American tragedy. Millions of otherwise sensible citizens were bamboozled when they embraced Trump’s bellicose rhetoric, which was energized and loudly amplified by Fox News. All the while, Fox News clearly knew that it was engaging in monumental falsehoods.

The attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, represents a small portion of people who were hoodwinked by a petulant, childish adult who could not accept defeat, and perhaps had plans during a second presidential term for a demolished democracy, then a rebuilt nation with him possessing absolute power. When Trump said the press is “the enemy of the people,” it offered a strong indication of his aspirations.

All Americans with honorable intentions have to be profoundly grateful that a measure of accountability has been achieved by our court system, and that plots to unlawfully seize power will be eventually shackled with unbending restraints that will preserve our democracy.

Ronald J. Yamka

Canonsburg