Axios: “Fox News on Monday filed a motion to dismiss a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against the network and some of its top hosts from voting company Smartmatic, claiming the lawsuit seeks to ‘stifle debate and chill vital First Amendment activities.’ The bulk of the filing leans on the notion that Fox’s coverage is protected by the First Amendment. ‘This suit strikes at the heart of the First Amendment,’ the lawsuit states. ‘Smartmatic’s theory is fundamentally incompatible with the reality of the modern news network and deeply rooted principles of free speech law.’ The lawsuit cites various legal proceedings that Fox argues establish a precedent that the speech, protected by the First Amendment, should be uninhibited and open and that speech concerning government affairs is very much protected by the First Amendement, as is freedom of the press.”