A federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Alex JonesB次元官网网址� Infowars to , criticizing the bidding for the conspiracy theory platform as flawed as well as how much money families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting stood to receive.
The is a victory for Jones, whose Infowars site was put up for sale as part of his bankruptcy case in the wake of the that courts have ordered him to pay over falsely calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax. Families of the Sandy Hook victims had backed The OnionB次元官网网址檚 bid.
Following a two-day hearing in Houston, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said he would not approve the sale, while citing concerns about transparency in the auction. That clears the way for Jones to keep B次元官网网址� at least for now B次元官网网址� Infowars, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Onion had planned to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January .
B次元官网网址淲e are deeply disappointed in todayB次元官网网址檚 decision, but The Onion will continue to seek a resolution that helps the Sandy Hook families receive a positive outcome for the horror they endured,B次元官网网址� Ben Collins, CEO of The OnionB次元官网网址檚 parent company, Global Tetrahedron, posted on social media late Tuesday.
Lopez cited problems B次元官网网址� but no wrongdoing B次元官网网址� with the auction process. He said he said he did not think that those involved in the auction acted in bad faith and that everyone B次元官网网址減ut their best foot forward and tried to play within the rules.B次元官网网址�
Still, Lopez said he said he did not want another auction and left it up to the trustee who oversaw the auction to determine the next steps.
The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash and other incentives for InfowarsB次元官网网址� assets . First United American Companies, which runs a website in JonesB次元官网网址� name that sells nutritional supplements, bid $3.5 million.
The bids were a fraction of the money that Jones has been ordered to pay in defamation lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas filed by relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. Lopez said the auction outcome B次元官网网址渓eft a lot of money on the tableB次元官网网址� for families.
B次元官网网址淵ou got to scratch and claw and get everything you can for them,B次元官网网址� Lopez said.
Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families who sued Jones in Connecticut, said they were disappointed in the judgeB次元官网网址檚 ruling.
B次元官网网址淭hese families, who have already persevered through countless delays and roadblocks, remain resilient and determined as ever to hold Alex Jones and his corrupt businesses accountable for the harm he has caused,B次元官网网址� Mattei said in a statement. B次元官网网址淭his decision doesnB次元官网网址檛 change the fact that, soon, Alex Jones will begin to pay his debt to these families and he will continue doing so for as long as it takes.B次元官网网址�
Jones, who did not attend the proceedings, went back on his program late Tuesday to celebrate the judgeB次元官网网址檚 ruling, calling the auction B次元官网网址渞idiculousB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渇raudulent.B次元官网网址�
Although The OnionB次元官网网址檚 cash offer was lower than that of First United American, it also included a pledge by many of the Sandy Hook families to forgo $750,000 of the auction proceeds due to them and give it to other creditors, providing the other creditors more money than they would receive under First United AmericanB次元官网网址檚 bid.
Alex JonesB次元官网网址� bankruptcy case
The sale of Infowars is part of , which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay in defamation lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas filed by relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting.
Jones repeatedly called the shooting that killed 20 children and six educators a hoax staged by actors and aimed at increasing gun control. Parents and children of many of the victims testified in court that they were traumatized by JonesB次元官网网址� conspiracies and
Jones has since acknowledged that .
Most of the proceeds from the sale of Infowars, as well as many of JonesB次元官网网址� personal assets, will go to the Sandy Hook families. Some proceeds will go to JonesB次元官网网址� other creditors.
The auction overseer defends his decision
Trustee Christopher Murray had defended The OnionB次元官网网址檚 bid in court this week, testifying that he did not favor either bidder over the other and was not biased.
He also revealed that First United American submitted a revised bid in recent days, but he said he could not accept it because the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit objected.
The Onion valued its bid, with the Sandy Hook familiesB次元官网网址� offer, at $7 million because that amount was equal to a purchase price that would provide the same amount of money to the other creditors.
In a court filing last month, MurrayB次元官网网址檚 lawyers called First United AmericanB次元官网网址檚 request to disqualify The OnionB次元官网网址檚 bid a B次元官网网址渄isappointed bidderB次元官网网址檚 improper attempt to influence an otherwise fair and open election process.B次元官网网址�
JonesB次元官网网址� attorney, Ben Broocks, noted that the Sandy Hook lawsuit judgments could be overturned in pending appeals and got Murray to acknowledge that the Sandy Hook familiesB次元官网网址� offer in The Onion bid could fall apart if that happens. ThatB次元官网网址檚 because the percentage of the auction proceeds they would be entitled to could drop sharply and they wouldnB次元官网网址檛 get the $750,000 from the sale to give to other creditors.
Putting Infowars up for auction
Up for sale were all the equipment and other assets in the Infowars studio in Austin, as well as the rights to its social media accounts, websites, video archive and product trademarks. Jones uses the studio to broadcast his far-right, conspiracy theory-filled shows on the Infowars website, his account on the social platform X and radio stations. Many of JonesB次元官网网址� personal assets also are being sold.
Jones has set up another studio, websites and social media accounts in case The Onion wins approval to buy Infowars and kicks him out. Jones has said he could continue using the Infowars platforms if the auction winner is friendly to him.
Jones is appealing the money has been ordered to pay in judgments citing free speech rights.
Dave Collins, The Associated Press
