Titled “Trump is a confirmed unhinged traitor and Murdoch is his unindicted co-conspirator”,it alleged Lachlan and Rupert,through their control of right-wing TV network Fox News,were to blame for the January 6 attack on the Capitol,which attempted to prevent the congressional certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.
Multiple media sources,who requested anonymity to speak freely on the matter,said Lachlan Murdoch has issued a concerns notice and fired off multiple legal letters toCrikey since June. The article has already been taken down from the website and various social media platforms,but lawyers are continuing to negotiate.
Murdoch is demanding an apology for the claims,which he says are defamatory. A spokesperson for Murdoch was unavailable for comment.
Crikey editor-in-chief Peter Fray said:“Crikey and its publisher Private Media are sick of being intimidated by Lachlan Murdoch.”
Allegations of involvement in the January 6 riots are a sore point for the Murdoch family. While high-profile commentators on Fox News have been blamed for encouraging Trump supporters,media outlets in the US includingThe New York Times have published articles about Lachlan Murdoch’ssnubs of former president Donald Trump and reports published in recent months say he is scathing of the January attack.
In July,The New York Post andThe Wall Street Journal (both owned by the Murdoch family) published blistering editorials about Trump’s actions concerning the January 6 riot,when at least seven people died.