Minnesota-based company MyPillow and its CEO, Mike Lindell, are facing yet another setback as Fox News, one of their biggest advertising platforms, has reportedly stopped running their commercials. While Fox insists that the decision is due to unpaid bills, Lindell believes that the network is trying to silence him because of his persistent claims that the 2020 election was stolen. This latest development comes amid a series of legal and financial troubles for MyPillow and Lindell.
In a tweet, Lindell expressed his surprise and suspicion over Fox's decision to cancel his company's commercials. He stated that he did not know the exact reason, but he believed that it was an attempt to silence him. However, Fox has denied this allegation, claiming that once MyPillow settles its outstanding balance, they would be willing to resume airing the advertisements. A Fox spokesperson mentioned that Lindell's claim about being silenced is false.
While Lindell argues that Fox is lying about the situation, he did admit that MyPillow does owe money to the network, to the tune of $7.8 million. He maintains that this amount falls within his credit line with Fox and that the issue is not solely about outstanding payments. According to Lindell, MyPillow has been spending approximately $1 million a week on Fox advertisements. He also noted that the network recently reduced their credit terms from 12 weeks to eight weeks, causing further strain on their business relationship.
Lindell believes that Fox's decision is connected to his efforts to secure election platforms against alleged malfeasance. His skepticism surrounding the 2020 election has led to multiple legal challenges and public statements in support of former President Donald Trump's claims of fraud. The recent hiring of former Fox Business host Lou Dobbs by Lindell's Lindell TV/FrankSpeech online channel may have also contributed to tensions, as Dobbs' inaugural show featured an interview with Trump where false claims about the election were made.
Last year, Fox faced a lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, which accused the network of promoting falsehoods about the election. To avoid a trial, Fox agreed to pay Dominion nearly $800 million. This settlement shed light on the role that hosts like Dobbs played in perpetuating baseless claims. Dobbs' show was canceled three years ago.
Lindell's legal woes have increased in recent months, with law firms representing him against lawsuits by Dominion and Smartmatic quitting due to unpaid fees. Despite these challenges, Lindell declared that MyPillow is still performing well, continuing to advertise on other conservative networks like Newsmax and their own platforms. Nevertheless, losing Fox as an advertising outlet will undoubtedly have a significant impact on their business.
Lindell expressed hope that Fox would reconsider its decision and allow MyPillow to resume advertising on the network. He acknowledged the importance of Fox's reach and the potential consequences for his business.
