Newsmax, a conservative media outlet that previously aired segments wherein some guests suggested that voter fraud occurred through voting software companies, has admitted that there is “no evidence” to support these conspiracies. In a statement delivered by Newsmax host John Tabacco, the company said, “Newsmax would like to clarify its news coverage and note it has not reported as true certain claims made about these companies.”
“There are several facts our viewers and readers should be aware,” the statement continued. “Newsmax has found no evidence either Dominion or Smartmatic owns the other, or has any business association with each other.”
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The clarification statement comes after Smartmatic issued legal demands that Newsmax and two other right-wing news outlets retract the misinformation regarding the company’s voting software. “They have no evidence to support their attacks on Smartmatic because there is no evidence,” Smartmatic CEO Antonio Mugica said in a statement.
“This campaign was designed to defame Smartmatic and undermine legitimately conducted elections,” Mugica added. “Our efforts are more than just about Smartmatic or any other company. This campaign is an attack on election systems and election workers in an effort to depress confidence in future elections and potentially counter the will of the voters, not just here, but in democracies around the world.”
Newsmax just aired this note to “clarify” its coverage of Smartmatic and Dominion. pic.twitter.com/I5XZ7CQpAk
— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) December 21, 2020
Smartmatic had been cited in many voter fraud claims from allies of outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump, though the New York Times reported that the company’s software was not ever used in any states for the 2020 election.
“Smartmatic has stated its software was only used in the 2020 election in Los Angeles, and was not used in any battleground state contested by the Trump campaign and Newsmax has no evidence to the contrary,” Newsmax added in its statement. Notably, Trump has persistently claimed that he believes voter fraud was the basis for his loss to President-elect Joe Biden, though no concrete evidence has been presented to support the claims.
While Trump continues to refuse formally conceding the election to Biden, the Electoral College votes have been cast, and Biden has been confirmed as the winner of the election. On Jan. 20, he will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. His running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris, will be the next Vice President.
