Alex Jones keeps Infowars for now after judge rejects The Onion’s winning auction bid

A federal judge in Texas has rejected the auction sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars The satirical news channel Onioncriticizing the bidding on the conspiracy theory platform as flawed, as well as how much money families from the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting would receive.

The decision late Tuesday night is a victory for Jones, whose Infowars site was put up for sale as part of his bankruptcy case in the wake of the crisis. almost $1.5 billion that courts have ordered him to pay for wrongly calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax. Families of the Sandy Hook victims had supported The Onion’s bid.

After a two-day hearing in Houston, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said he would not approve the sale while raising concerns about the auction’s transparency. That clears the way for Jones to — at least for now — keep Infowars, headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Onion planned to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody.

“We are deeply disappointed in today’s decision, but The Onion will continue to seek a solution that helps the Sandy Hook families receive a positive outcome for the horrors they have endured,” wrote Ben Collins, CEO of the parent company of The Onion, Global Tetrahedron. social media late Tuesday.

Lopez cited problems — but not misconduct — with the auction process. He said he did not think those involved in the auction acted in bad faith and that everyone “put their best foot forward and tried to play within the rules.”

Still, Lopez said he didn’t want another auction and left it up to the trustee overseeing the auction to determine next steps.

The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash and other incentives for Infowars’ assets at the auction. First United American Companies, which operates a website selling nutritional supplements on Jones’ behalf, is offering $3.5 million.

The bids were a fraction of the money Jones must pay in defamation lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas brought by relatives of Sandy Hook shooting victims. Lopez said the outcome of the auction “left a lot of money on the table” for families.

“You have to scratch and claw and get everything for them,” Lopez said.

Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families who sued Jones in Connecticut, said he was disappointed in the judge’s ruling.

“These families, who have already endured countless delays and roadblocks, remain resilient and determined as ever to hold Alex Jones and his corrupt companies accountable for the damage he has caused,” Mattei said in a statement. “This decision does not change the fact that Alex Jones will soon begin paying off his debts to these families and will continue to do so for as long as necessary.”

Jones, who did not attend the proceedings, returned to his program late Tuesday to celebrate the judge’s ruling, calling the auction “ridiculous” and “fraudulent.”

Although The Onion’s cash offer was lower than First United American’s, it also included a promise by many of the Sandy Hook families to turn over $750,000 of the auction proceeds owed to them and to other creditors which would give the other creditors more money than they had earned. they would receive under First United American’s bid.

The sale of Infowars is part of this Jones’ personal bankruptcy casewhich he submitted at the end of 2022 after being ordered to pay almost $1.5 billion in defamation lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas brought by relatives of Sandy Hook shooting victims.

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 Jones’ plots threats from his followers.

Jones has now acknowledged that the school shooting in Connecticut happened.

Most of the proceeds from the sale of Infowars, as well as many of Jones’ personal belongings, will go to the Sandy Hook families. Part of the proceeds will go to Jones’ other creditors.

Trustee Christopher Murray had defended The Onion’s bid in court this week, testifying that he did not favor one bidder over another and was not biased.

He also revealed that First United American had submitted a revised offer in recent days, but he said he could not accept it because the Sandy Hook families objected in the Connecticut lawsuit.

The Onion valued its offer, along with the Sandy Hook families’ offer, at $7 million, because that amount was equal to a purchase price that would provide the same amount to the other creditors.

In a court filing last month, Murray’s attorneys called First United American’s request to disqualify The Onion’s bid an “improper attempt by the disappointed bidder to influence an otherwise fair and open election process.”

Jones’ attorney, Ben Broocks, noted that the Sandy Hook lawsuit rulings could be overturned in pending appeals and had Murray acknowledge that the Sandy Hook families’ bid for The Onion could fall apart if that happens. That’s because the percentage of auction proceeds they would be entitled to could drop sharply and they would be unable to give the $750,000 from the sale to other creditors.

Up for sale were all equipment and other assets at the Infowars studio in Austin, as well as the rights to the 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 Jones’ personal belongings are also sold.

Jones has another studio, websites and social media accounts set up in case The Onion gets approval to buy Infowars and kicks him out. Jones has said he can continue using the Infowars platforms if the auction winner is friendly to him.

Jones is appealing against the money ordered to be paid in judgments citing the right to free speech.