Fox Corp.’s chief legal officer, Viet Dinh, will depart later this year in a major shakeup at the company after a landmark $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.
George W. A former Bush White House official, Mr. Dinh, who has amassed considerable power within Fox, will advise the company after his departure, Fox said in an announcement on Friday.
During the Dominion case that exposed a pattern of deceptive coverage by Fox News after the 2020 presidential election, some at the company criticized Mr. Provided by Tin. He stressed that Fox is in a strong legal position and could take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary, where he believes the company will prevail on First Amendment grounds.
Fox did not name his successor.
“We appreciate Viet’s many contributions and service to Fox over the past five years as a member of 21st Century Fox’s board of directors and as a valued member of Fox’s leadership team,” Chief Executive Lachlan Murdoch said in a written statement. Announcing the move.
Mr. Dinh’s departure raises. Another election technology company, Smartmatic, is suing Fox for $2.7 billion. Ray Epps, who is at the center of a widespread conspiracy theory about the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, sued Fox for defamation last month.
The company is also facing two shareholder lawsuits related to its coverage and handling of lawsuits.
The Dominion case destabilizes Fox and the Murdoch family that controls it. The fallout represents one of the most significant challenges the company has faced since a decade ago when journalists hired by its British newspaper division were accused of hacking into celebrity voicemail accounts.
Emails and text messages released as part of the discovery process in the Dominion case show executives including Fox founder Rupert Murdoch and its news network hosts former President Donald J. They were deeply suspicious of Trump’s claims of voter fraud. He was responsible for his electoral defeat. Yet Fox News continued to provide a platform for many on-air personalities and guests who made such claims.
In April, the network canceled the program of its most-watched prime-time host, Tucker Carlson, after his personal messages made Mr.
A speech with a racist overtone led the Fox board to authorize an internal investigation, which found Mr. One of the many factors that contributed to Carlson’s exit. Lachlan Murdoch, Mr. He described the decision to fire Carlson as a “business decision,” arguing that the host was no longer worth the headaches he had caused the company, according to a person familiar with the internal discussions.
Mr. Dinh has been close to the Murdoch family for years and served on the company’s board of directors before being named chief legal officer in 2018. He is also godfather to one of Lachlan Murdoch’s children.
Mr. Tin had a considerable amount of influence at Fox. But his handling of the Dominion case stunned many at the company, including Fox News Media Chief Executive Suzanne Scott, who is known for her discretion but has made her displeasure known to colleagues, according to two people who have spoken with her.
Mr. How Thin’s exit affects the remaining lawsuits against Fox is an open question. Kirkland Ellis, the law firm where he was a partner before joining Fox, continued to handle a large caseload from the Smartmatic suit.
As part of the Dominion case, Mr. Tin was fired, and Mr. He admitted he was “skeptical” of Trump’s false claims.
He’s leaving with a high-dollar severance package: $23 million, according to documents filed with the federal government.
Fox News has reshuffled its prime-time lineup for the first time since 2017. Mr. Jesse Waters replaces Carlson at 8 p.m. Sean Hannity hosts at 9 p.m., while Greg Gutfeld moves from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m.
While at Fox, Mr. Dean was occasionally described as one of America’s most powerful lawyers. Although he did not direct the daily programming on Fox News, he monitored its content and maintained an influential role over what appeared on the air.
A refugee from Vietnam who arrived at age 10 once told VietLife magazine He has worked “cleaning restrooms, bus tables, pumping gas, picking berries, fixing cars.” To help meet the needs of his family. He attended Harvard and Harvard Law School.
At times he expressed pride in Fox’s ironic view of the former president, which Mr. That led Trump to criticize the network.
“There is no better historical record of Fox News’ excellent journalism than seeing a former president tweet against Fox,” Mr. Tin said.
