Federal Judge Dismisses Ray Epps Defamation Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News, filed by Ray Epps, a man accused by conspiracy theorists of inciting the January 6 attack as a federal agent. The judge ruled that Epps did not provide sufficient evidence to prove Fox News acted with actual malice. This decision follows similar dismissals of defamation lawsuits against Fox News, including those filed by Tony Bobulinski and Nina Jankowicz. Fox News expressed satisfaction with the rulings, emphasizing the preservation of First Amendment press freedoms. In a related case, a New York judge dismissed Bobulinski's lawsuit against Fox News host Jessica Tarlov, awarding attorney's fees under the state's anti-SLAPP statute. These outcomes underline the challenges of proving defamation in cases involving public figures and media outlets.