Judge slaps Fox News with special master to determine if it withheld critical Dominion evidence

A judge on Wednesday said that he would appoint a special master tasked with determining whether Fox News withheld crucial evidence in the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems.

CNN reports that Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis on Wednesday repeatedly expressed "exasperation and frustration" with Fox News' attorneys while lawyers representing Dominion delivered a presentation alleging that they did not receive all of the information they should have during the discovery process.

"I am very concerned... that there have been misrepresentations to the court," Davis said. "This is very serious."

In addition to examining whether Fox News properly handed over all relevant information as part of discovery, Davis said that the special master would also look into Fox made "untrue or negligent" statements to the court when it argued that Fox Corporation founder Rupert Murdoch didn't have any formal role at Fox News.

A Fox News spokesperson said in a statement: "Rupert Murdoch has been listed as executive chairman of FOX News in our SEC filings since 2019 and this filing was referenced by Dominion’s own attorney during his deposition.”

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Although Fox attorney Dan Webb insisted that "nobody intentionally withheld information" related to the case, Judge Davis nonetheless said he was "very uncomfortable" with Fox's actions and ordered them to preserve "any and all communications" it had related to Murdoch's role at Fox.

The trial in Dominion's $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News is due to begin next week.