Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is gearing up to take legal action against Fox News, accusing the conservative media outlet of defamation, unlawful exploitation of his image, and publication of "revenge porn," according to a letter obtained by ABC News. The letter, sent by Biden's legal team to Fox News on April 23, serves as a notice of imminent litigation and demands that the network preserve all documents potentially relevant to the allegations.
To spearhead this legal counteroffensive, Hunter Biden has enlisted the services of high-profile attorney Mark Geragos and his firm, Geragos & Geragos. Geragos, known for representing celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, and Winona Ryder, also has experience representing family members of presidents, having negotiated a plea deal for former President Bill Clinton's brother, Roger Clinton Jr., in 2001.
In a statement, Geragos said, "For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise. We plan on holding them accountable."
The letter alleges that Fox News has engaged in a "conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame Mr. Biden and paint him in a false light," citing the network's extensive coverage of Hunter Biden, which, according to media watchdog Media Matters, includes at least 13,440 mentions since January 2023. The legal team believes the potential case could be as significant, if not more so, than the recent Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, which resulted in Fox News agreeing to pay almost $800 million to settle defamation claims.
One of the key issues highlighted in the letter is Fox News' advancement of now-discredited bribery allegations made by Alexander Smirnov, an FBI informant who was recently indicted for fabricating the story to harm President Biden politically. Despite Smirnov's indictment, Hunter Biden's attorneys claim that Fox News "double-downed on the debunked bribery allegation and used Smirnov's indictment to suggest an even deeper conspiracy."
The letter also takes issue with Fox News' airing of intimate images of Hunter Biden as part of a miniseries called "The Trial of Hunter Biden," which the network described as a mock trial seeking to show how a possible trial might look. Biden's legal team argues that the publication of these images, some of which depict him nude or engaged in sexual acts, violates "revenge porn" laws in the majority of states.
In addition to demanding corrections and retractions, including on-air statements by hosts such as Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters, and Maria Bartiromo, the letter calls for the removal of "The Trial of Hunter Biden" miniseries from all streaming services.
The threat of litigation against Fox News comes as Hunter Biden prepares for a summer of criminal trials related to gun and tax charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The legal action also follows in the wake of Fox News' recent settlements with Dominion Voting Systems and a former employee, as well as ongoing lawsuits brought by Smartmatic and shareholders.
