Why Newsmax wants to drag a Greek Orthodox priest into Dominion defamation case

20 December 2023

Fox News isn't the only one who has been sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems. The voting equipment specialist has also sued Fox competitors Newsmax and One America News (OAN), attorney Sidney Powell, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, alleging that all of them committed defamation by promoting the false, repeatedly debunked claim that Dominion's equipment was used to help now-President Joe Biden steal the 2020 presidential election from then-President Donald Trump.

Dominion and Fox News reached a settlement in April, when Fox avoided a trial by agreeing to pay Dominion $787.5 million. And a Dominion/OAN settlement was reached in September. But the Dominion/Newsmax case continues.

In a report published on December 20, the Daily Beast's Jake Lahut explains why Newsmax is "trying to drag" Father Alexander Karloutsos — a 78-year-old Greek Orthodox priest — "into court" in the Dominion case.

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Newsmax, Lahut reports, subpoenaed Karloutsos and is "demanding to see any of his texts related to the voting systems firm."

"Karloutsos, 78, who retired in 2021 as the vicar general of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, was issued the subpoena on October 27," Lahut explains. "The New York County Supreme Court filing ordered the priest, a Southampton native, to appear at the Manhattan offices of Newsmax's counsel Duane Morris LLP and sit for a deposition in the Dominion case."

Lahut adds, "The subpoena further commands the retired clergyman to produce all personal documentation related to any conversations he's had with any person 'concerning Dominion or allegations of misconduct in connection with voting machines used in the 2020 Presidential Election.' Dominion Voting Systems is currently suing Newsmax for $1.6 billion over the network's false on-air claims that the 2020 election was 'stolen' by the company's 'rigged' machines."

But George Sitaras, Karloutsos' attorney, has slammed the subpoena as "facially defective" and an "overbroad and unduly burdensome" act of desperation on Newsmax's part.

Lahut reports, "The right-wing cable outlet has never made clear why it believes Karloutsos is relevant to the Dominion case, though his ties to the voting firm's CEO and to Newsmax's top bogeyman, President Joe Biden, may provide clues. Days after Fox News settled its Dominion lawsuit for a whopping $787.5 million, John Poulos, the Greek-Canadian chief executive of Dominion, told a Greek-language news outlet that the famous priest called him shortly after the 2020 election."

Read the Daily Beast's full report at this link (subscription required).

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