Judge Blocks Infowars Sale to The Onion
Alex Jones faced a setback in a late-night ruling on Tuesday, as Judge Christopher Lopez of the federal bankruptcy court in Houston rejected the proposed sale of Infowars to The Onion, a Chicago-based satirical publication. The decision extends the contentious legal battle between two high-profile bidders: The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, and First United American Companies, a group linked to Infowars founder Alex Jones. The Onion’s bid had been supported by the families of Sandy Hook victims, who won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Jones in 2022.
The $7 million bid, which included $1.75 million in cash from Global Tetrahedron, was partially funded by the Sandy Hook families. They opted to allocate part of their potential payout from the defamation judgment toward the sale. Despite its unusual structure, the bid was deemed superior by Jeff Tanenbaum, an expert advising the bankruptcy trustee. However, the court’s ruling has left The Onion’s plans in limbo. Neither Jones nor representatives of The Onion have commented publicly on the decision.
Debate Over Auction Procedures and Legal Protocol
The core of the court proceedings revolved around the legitimacy of the bidding process. Lawyers representing both sides debated whether the bankruptcy trustee, Christopher Murray, acted within the law when managing the sale. One contentious issue was the sealed bidding process, which allowed bidders to submit offers privately instead of through an open auction. Lawyers for Jones’s affiliated bidder argued the process was improper, while attorneys for the trustee and Global Tetrahedron defended it as lawful.
Additionally, Jones’s camp raised concerns about the Sandy Hook families’ role in the bid. Without their backing, First United American Companies had the higher offer, with a $3.5 million cash bid. Jones’s legal team claimed that the Sandy Hook families’ partnership with Global Tetrahedron undermined the fairness of the auction. In court filings, Jones accused the families and Global Tetrahedron of colluding to manipulate the bidding process, calling it a “mockery of transparency.”
Jones’s Public Reaction and Heated Courtroom Exchanges
As the legal battle unfolded, Alex Jones took to social media, hosting what he called the “final Infowars broadcast ever” on X (formerly Twitter). He falsely claimed the company was being sold to billionaire Michael Bloomberg, while also criticizing the bankruptcy process as chaotic and biased. Jones’s 29-page court filing went further, alleging obscure connections between the Sandy Hook families and political figures, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The courtroom proceedings became increasingly tense over the two days of hearings. In one heated moment, a lawyer for Jones’s affiliated bidder questioned how the Sandy Hook families could afford extensive legal representation, prompting immediate objections. Despite the dramatic exchanges, Judge Lopez’s ruling focused on protocol and procedure rather than the colorful claims made during the case.
With the sale now blocked, the future of Infowars and its assets remains uncertain. The ruling marks another chapter in the prolonged legal and financial turmoil surrounding Alex Jones, who continues to face mounting pressure from the Sandy Hook families’ defamation victory.
