The Future of Infowars Hangs in the Balance as Court Rejects Sale to The Onion
By a significant margin, a judge has rejected the sale of Infowars, the website founded by Alex Jones, to The Onion, a satirical news organization, in a move that leaves the future of the platform uncertain. The ruling comes after a series of controversial claims by Jones that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.
Infowars’ founder, Alex Jones, has faced numerous defamation lawsuits from the families of the Sandy Hook victims, with a total judgment of nearly $1.5 billion. To pay off this debt, Jones was forced to sell Infowars. However, the ownership of the site remains in limbo, as a new auction is needed to determine its fate.
The court’s rejection of the sale to The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, has implications for the families of the Sandy Hook victims, who were attempting to negotiate a deal that would see a portion of the auction proceeds go towards their damages.
A hearing is scheduled for Monday to discuss the future of Infowars’ sale, with the potential for a new auction to take place. The outcome will significantly impact the platform and Jones’ ongoing legal battle with the Sandy Hook families.
The saga began in 2012, when Jones claimed the mass shooting was staged and that grieving relatives were “crisis actors.” Although Jones has since acknowledged the shooting occurred, he continues to argue that the subsequent lawsuits against him, which have forced him to sell Infowars, violate his right to free speech.
The court’s rejection of the sale to The Onion marks the latest development in the ongoing legal battle, with supporters of Jones claiming the sale was an “auction that didn’t happen” and with The Onion’s CEO stating the company will continue to seek a resolution that benefits the Sandy Hook families and seeks to purchase the platform.