In a surprising twist within the media landscape, the well-known satirical outlet The Onion is in a legal tussle over its bid to transform Alex Jones’ Infowars into a parody platform. A Texas court recently put a hold on the proposed agreement that would have allowed The Onion to operate Infowars temporarily, leaving the future of the plan uncertain.
Infowars, based in Austin, is under financial duress, facing the possibility of liquidation due to over $1 billion in defamation lawsuit judgments owed by Alex Jones to the families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. The Onion’s proposed licensing agreement would allow it to use Infowars’ intellectual properties as part of a broader liquidation plan managed by a state receiver in Texas.
A hearing was set in Austin to consider The Onion’s proposal, but an emergency motion granted by the Texas Third Court of Appeals on Wednesday temporarily halted the asset transfer. Another hearing is scheduled for May 28. Meanwhile, the Sandy Hook families’ attorneys have sought intervention from the Texas Supreme Court, which has not yet ruled on the matter.
“This newly insane, unprecedented legal stalling does nothing but delay our deal with the receiver to take control of InfoWars,” stated Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, on social media before the hearing. “We now expect new traps in Alex Jones’ amoral war to deny paying the Sandy Hook families, but we’re freshly surprised by the U.S. legal system’s appetite to put up with it.”
The Onion has already begun selling Infowars-branded merchandise on its platform, featuring items like T-shirts and tote bags with its signature onion logo. The satirical outlet aims to turn Infowars into a comedy site, including mocking Jones and various conspiracy theories, with proceeds benefiting the Sandy Hook families.
Following the appellate court’s decision, Alex Jones declared victory, labeling The Onion’s strategy as illegal and citing ongoing appeals and his bankruptcy proceedings. He expressed confidence in the court’s decision, attributing it to political biases against him.
Mark Bankston, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, criticized Jones for delaying the liquidation process, remarking, “As far as the world is concerned, Infowars is dead. Everybody knows that,” and described Jones’ efforts as an attempt to keep a “bloated corpse of a media organization alive.”
The Onion’s attempt to acquire Infowars’ assets is not its first legal hurdle. A prior auction of Free Speech Systems, Infowars’ parent company, aimed at resolving part of the defamation liabilities, was annulled by a federal judge due to procedural issues with The Onion’s bid.
Despite these challenges, Jones remains active, having constructed a new studio and launched a phone app along with various websites to promote his merchandise and content. His social media presence, particularly his personal account with 4.5 million followers, remains unaffected by the legal battles.
