Fox News agreed to pay $787 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit over false election claims aired by the network. The settlement averted a trial that would have further embarrassed Fox hosts who cast doubt on the false claims in private but promoted them on the air.
Editorial cartoonists featured Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch prominently. In the gallery’s lead image. Bill Bramhall draws Murdoch writing a fat check from “petty cash,” implying that it won’t be much of a deterrent. Steve Breen’s Murdoch holds a fox on a leash, after the henhouse has been raided, and saying, “Pets are expensive.” Nick Anderson draws him staring down the barrel of a tank representing the overwhelming evidence against Fox, saying, “Maybe it’s time to negotiate the terms of my surrender.”
The Supreme Court waded into the legal thicket created by two courts ruling in opposite ways on the continued availability of the abortion drug mifepristone. Phil Hands contrasted the Republican Party’s concern for protecting life from conception to its lack of action on behalf of children killed in mass shootings. Drew Sheneman sees the only way the GOP would agree to a gun ban is if an AR-15 could dispense abortion pills instead of bullets.
Other news items in the cartoons include more fallout from leaks of classified information by a Massachusetts soldier; a spate of “honest mistake” shootings of people taking a wrong turn or ringing the wrong doorbell; President Joe Biden’s trip to Ireland; House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to extend the debt limit; and wariness about artificial intelligence.
Cartoons were drawn by Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Steve Breen, Mike Luckovich and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.