Semantic point. Irrespective of the merits or demerits of the case, to refute is to provide unassailable evidence (proof) as to the falsity of an allegation. It

Semantic point. Irrespective of the merits or demerits of the case, to refute is to provide unassailable evidence (proof) as to the falsity of an allegation. It marks `case closed`. It doesn't mean presenting strong persuasive arguments against a proposition which is what's happened. Carlson may well be lying or subject to some shenanigans within Fox but so may somebody in the FBI, a huge organization.