In a legal skirmish indicative of the times, The Onion, known for its cutting satire, is embroiled in a courtroom battle over its bid to acquire the controversial Infowars platform from its founder, Alex Jones. The Onion's intent is to transform the Infowars website and social media into a parody of its former self. At a hearing scheduled for Monday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston will consider allegations from Jones that the November auction processes were tainted by collusion and fraud, claims that have been staunchly denied by the other parties involved.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, The Onion’s offer of $1.75 million was eclipsed by a $3.5 million bid from First United American Companies, an enterprise associated with Jones himself. Despite the lower bid, The Onion was chosen by the trustee overseeing the sale, Christopher Murray, who has asserted that their proposal would ultimately provide a greater benefit to the creditors involved. Alongside its cash bid, The Onion presented a commitment from several Sandy Hook families to waive a portion of their entitled proceeds, thus increasing the sum available for other creditors by $100,000.
As Jones and First United American Companies challenge the auction's outcome, citing illegality and a contravention of the rules set by the overseeing judge, those antithesis claims are being refuted. Murray branded the accusations as "a disappointed bidder’s improper attempt to influence an otherwise fair and open auction process," as noted in both Chicago Sun-Times and Associated Press coverage.
The origins of Infowars' sale trace back to Jones' financial struggles following court mandates to pay nearly $1.5 billion in defamation lawsuits brought about by Sandy Hook families, due to his propagation that the 2012 mass shooting, which took the lives of 20 children and six educators, was staged. The proceeds from the auction will largely go towards satisfying these judgments. Meanwhile, Jones has established alternative studios and media accounts, poised to continue disseminating his narratives should favorable conditions arise following the sale. He has also recognized the shootings' occurrence while continuing to appeal the judgments based on First Amendment grounds—although a recent ruling trimmed the liability by $150 million yet sustained the bulk of the award.
