The world's wealthiest man has inserted himself into a complex legal dispute involving a satirical news outlet and a controversial conspiracy theorist's social media presence.
As reported by The Independent, Elon Musk's X platform has filed a legal objection to prevent The Onion from acquiring Alex Jones and InfoWars social media accounts as part of a bankruptcy sale.
The legal intervention comes after The Onion and Sandy Hook victims' families successfully bid to purchase InfoWars properties. This development follows Jones's bankruptcy filing, triggered by a $1.5 billion defamation judgment related to his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Attorneys representing X filed their objection on Monday, asserting complete ownership of the platform's accounts. Their filing emphasized that users only receive non-exclusive licenses to operate accounts, making them non-transferable assets.
According to the court documents filed by X's legal team:
X Corp. is compelled to file this Objection to make clear that X Corp. does not consent to the sale or any other transfer of the non-assignable X Accounts, which in turn, means the X Accounts cannot be sold or transferred at this time.
The legal battle has intensified as Jones himself has challenged the sale, claiming improper negotiations between the bankruptcy trustee and bidders. Christopher R. Murray, the bankruptcy trustee, dismissed these allegations as baseless attempts to interfere with a legitimate auction process.
The case has attracted attention from various political figures, including Donald Trump Jr., who recently suggested Musk should purchase MSNBC. This proposition led to public speculation about potential media acquisitions and restructuring.
Jones claimed during a recent broadcast that Musk would be "very involved" in the legal proceedings, adding that "Trump is pissed" about the situation. The statement highlights the political undertones surrounding the case.
The Onion's successful bid represents an unusual twist in the ongoing saga of InfoWars' bankruptcy proceedings. The satirical publication has expressed intentions to relaunch InfoWars as a parody of itself.
A crucial hearing has been scheduled for December 9, where a bankruptcy judge will evaluate arguments regarding The Onion's bid qualification. This hearing will determine whether the satirical publication can proceed with its purchase.
Ben Collins, The Onion's CEO, confirmed the joint bid's success with Sandy Hook families, though the sale remains subject to standard processes and legal challenges.
The dispute over InfoWars' social media accounts has evolved into a multifaceted legal confrontation involving tech billionaire Elon Musk, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and satirical publication The Onion. The case centers on the attempted acquisition of InfoWars properties and social media accounts following Jones's bankruptcy, which resulted from defamation judgments related to Sandy Hook shooting statements.
The resolution awaits the December 9 hearing, where a bankruptcy judge will evaluate competing claims and determine whether The Onion can proceed with its purchase and transformation of InfoWars assets, while X Corp maintains its stance against any transfer of platform accounts.
