Newsmax in talks to settle legal fee lawsuit over voting machine defamation case (updated)

Newsmax

16/10/2025 22:06

Adds Newsmax statement in paragraph 3, updates paragraph 4

By David Thomas

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Newsmax Media NMAX.N said Thursday that it is in talks to settle a lawsuit over nearly half a million dollars in legal fees the right-leaning news outlet allegedly failed to pay its lawyers in a defamation case brought by a voting machine company after the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston on Thursday put the lawsuit brought by law firm Todd & Weld on hold for 30 days after Newsmax and Todd & Weld said pausing the case would "facilitate ongoing settlement discussions."

Newsmax said in a statement it "has paid Todd & Weld close to 95% of all bills invoiced but we are disputing Howard Cooper's billing and performance on several matters." Cooper is a founding partner at Todd & Weld.

A spokesperson for Boston-based Todd & Weld did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Todd & Weld sued Newsmax last month, alleging that the company still owes more than $426,000 for its work defending Newsmax in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems. The law firm alleged that Newsmax "acknowledges" the firm is owed fees but "simply refuses to pay."

Dominion accused Newsmax of spreading false claims that it rigged the 2020 U.S. presidential election against Republican Donald Trump in favor of Democrat Joe Biden. Newsmax agreed to pay $67 million to settle the claims in August while continuing to defend its news coverage.

Todd & Weld said it served as lead trial counsel to Newsmax in Dominion's lawsuit and a similar defamation lawsuit brought by Smartmatic, another voting machine company that said it was the victim of similar false vote-rigging claims by Newsmax.

Newsmax reached a confidential settlement with Smartmatic in September 2024. An investor document in March disclosed the settlement amount was $40 million. Newsmax denied wrongdoing.

Newsmax has not yet formally responded to Todd & Weld's allegations in the fee lawsuit.

 (Reporting by David Thomas)

 ((D.Thomas@thomsonreuters.com;))