Dominion CEO Predicts ‘Business Ultimately Reaches Zero’ Because of 2020 Election Lies

A month ago, Dominion Voting Systems appeared as a formidable force. Fox News, a prominent conservative media giant, had recently agreed to pay Dominion a staggering $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit that was on the brink of a trial. This settlement marked the largest ever of its kind by a media corporation.

However, even with this substantial payday, Dominion CEO John Poulos harbors grim expectations for the company's future due to the enduring damage to its reputation. In a remarkably pessimistic interview with TIME, Poulos asserts, "It's simply more convenient for our clientele to opt for alternatives to Dominion. We are fully aware that our business is inevitably heading towards oblivion."

Dominion, founded by Poulos two decades ago, has evolved into one of the nation's leading providers of electronic voting technology and software. Nevertheless, it wasn't until the 2020 election that Dominion gained widespread recognition. This newfound fame resulted from former President Donald Trump and his supporters promoting conspiracy theories, including unfounded allegations that Dominion manipulated the election by switching votes from Trump to Joe Biden. Some media outlets, like Fox News, amplified these claims, fueling public outrage against the company. Earlier this year, Shasta County in northern California terminated its contract with Dominion without securing a replacement vendor.

Poulos envisions a scenario in which more clients choose to sever ties with Dominion. He asserts that the company's products maintain their integrity, and most government entities across the nation utilizing them would refrain from early contract termination. However, the situation becomes precarious when these contracts approach renewal.

"When the time comes for a customer to acquire a new system—typically every eight years to address obsolescence and certification issues—they will likely decide, 'It's not worth the hassle associated with purchasing from Dominion,'" Poulos anticipates. "'They might be slightly cheaper, slightly more functional, or offer slightly better services. But the public outcry makes collaborating with them a headache.'"

When questioned about his prediction that Dominion will ultimately lose all its business, Poulos doesn't waver. "In due course, I anticipate that all our clients will seek alternative solutions," he asserts. "It's just a matter of time."

Dominion is still entangled in six other defamation lawsuits, including ones against right-wing media entities Newsmax and One America News. The closely-watched litigation involving Fox News led to the revelation of text messages and emails indicating skepticism within Fox about the election fraud allegations the network propagated. Embarrassing comments from prominent figures like Tucker Carlson, who mocked Trump and his claims of victory over Biden, came to light. Just before the high-profile case was set to go to trial, the parties reached their historic settlement. Another election technology firm, Smartmatic, is pursuing its $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

According to Poulos, Dominion faced an increase in death threats immediately following the settlement announcement. Safeguarding his employees remains a top priority for the company.

As for Dominion's future, Poulos is taking it one step at a time. The company maintains its focus on delivering reliable voting systems to clients, with Poulos underscoring that Americans do not need to place blind trust in Dominion due to its commitment to transparency and its existing capability to generate paper ballots. However, this defense may come too late.

"The alleged defamation essentially triggered a downward spiral for us," Poulos laments. "By accusing us of the gravest crime in American history, we have become, as one of our clients has put it, the most vilified brand in the United States."

Poulos admits that it remains uncertain whether the company can raise enough awareness to counter the false allegations that many Americans still believe. Nonetheless, he expresses optimism that the Fox settlement and ongoing legal proceedings will, at the very least, contribute to curbing the spread of misinformation.

"We sincerely hope that this will mark the end of trusted media prioritizing ratings and profits over the pursuit of truth," he concludes.