On the same day Joe Biden, Hunter's father, revealed his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, Hunter Biden surprisingly withdrew his lawsuit against Fox News. This lawsuit had accused the network of violating revenge porn laws by including sexually explicit photos of him in a fictionalized "mock trial" miniseries.
The court notice, filed on Sunday, July 21, stated that Hunter Biden, "through his legal representation, hereby notifies the court that the aforementioned action is voluntarily dismissed, without prejudice, against the defendants Fox News Network, LLC, Fox Corporation, and John and Jane Does 1-100." The dismissal "without prejudice" suggests a possibility of a future refiling.
Requests for further comment from Hunter Biden's legal representative remained unanswered. The initial lawsuit, filed on June 30 in the New York Supreme Court and later transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, was met with defiance by Fox News.
A Fox News spokesperson referred to their previous statement, stating: "This politically motivated lawsuit lacks merit. The complaint revolves around a 2022 streaming program that Hunter Biden failed to object to until late April 2024. The program was promptly removed after his letter, but Hunter Biden is a public figure, subject to numerous investigations, and now a convicted felon. Consistent with the First Amendment, Fox News has accurately reported on the noteworthy events surrounding Mr. Biden, and we eagerly await our day in court."
In October 2022, Fox News premiered "The Trial of Hunter Biden: A Mock Trial for the American People" on their Fox Nation streaming service. This six-part series, featuring several sexually explicit images of Hunter Biden, portrayed a mock trial that "might look" like a potential Hunter Biden trial. However, in April 2024, after being contacted by Hunter's legal team, Fox News removed the series, citing that they were "reviewing the recently raised concerns."
Hunter Biden's lawsuit alleged that Fox knew that utilizing his "intimate images" in "The Trial of Hunter Biden" series would violate New York state's revenge porn laws. It further claimed that "the unauthorized publication and dissemination of the intimate images has inflicted severe emotional distress, humiliation, and mental anguish on Mr. Biden, along with irreparable damage to his personal and professional reputation."
Hunter Biden had been convicted in June for falsely declaring his drug use to procure a firearm and illegally possessing a gun. His legal team has indicated plans to appeal this felony conviction. The Fox Nation "mock trial" series explored whether Hunter Biden violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act and committed bribery, although Hunter himself has not been charged with either offense.
