The Onion wins Alex Jones' Infowars in bankruptcy auction

[LiberalArkie]

Last edited Thu Nov 14, 2024, 12:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NBC News

The Onion, the satirical news company that repeatedly spoofed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, has won the bankruptcy auction for control over his media empire — most notably InfoWars, the far-right, conspiracy-minded website that served as Jones' primary online platform.

Jones announced the sale on X Thursday morning.

"I just got word 15 minutes ago that my lawyers and folks met with the U.S. trustee over our bankruptcy this morning and they said they are shutting us down even without a court order this morning," Jones said.

"The Connecticut democrats with The Onion newspaper bought us," he added.




https://membership.theonion.com

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/onion-wins-alex-jones-infowars-bankruptcy-auction-rcna179936

[Omnipresent]

1. ....

[LiberalArkie]

2. Who would have thunk... One hell of a domain name for the Onion

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Was just about to post

The Onion Says It Has Bought Infowars, Alex Jones’s Site, Out of Bankruptcy


Nov. 14, 2024, 9:01 a.m. Benjamin Mullin

By Benjamin MullinET

The Onion, a satirical publication that skewers newsmakers and current events, said on Thursday that it had won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Infowars, a website founded and operated by the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The Onion said that the bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Mr. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.

Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence that was founded in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, will sponsor a relaunched version of the site under The Onion.

Family members of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting, which claimed the lives of 20 first graders and six educators, sued Mr. Jones in Connecticut Superior Court in 2018 after he spread the baseless claim that the rampage was a fabricated pretext for confiscating Americans’ firearms.

The Onion declined to disclose the price it paid for Infowars and its assets, including its production studio and diet supplement business. Mr. Jones could not immediately be reached for comment, but he said on the social media platform X this week that he planned to continue producing his online program, “The Alex Jones Show,” until he was forced to stop.

(snip)

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/business/media/alex-jones-infowars-the-onion.html

Was this from the Onion?

[mopinko]

6. that's some sweet justice right there.

interesting times.

[2naSalit]

4. That made my day!

And it's not even 7:30am!

[Tadpole Raisin]

31. Best news I've had since...

Well I’m going to have to think about the time frame.

[ck4829]

5. The parody news site makes a win in the fight against disinformation

Now if only the Daily Show could own Fox News

[ButchMcMuffin]

42. Paramount would have to buy it but...

The Daily Show DOES own Fox News.

[Lovie777]

7. Good news.....

We need to take the more truthful info back.

[Fla Dem]

8. What a triumph!!! The Good Guys won one for once!

[Orrex]

9. That's the most Onion-ish headline I've seen in months

[Easterncedar]

10. Now that is some great news!

The Onion forever! Maybe we need to subscribe?

[DoBW]

11. wonder if it brought Jones to tears?

[littlemissmartypants]

23. DUzy! 🏆🏅

[rurallib]

12. too bad they can't pay in satirical dollars

At least Jones won't keep the money

[Hope22]

13. Too funny!

Can’t believe it wasn’t written by The Onion!😁😂 This is cool because the proceeds should go to Sandy Hook families. The proposed concept of a place for internet humor writers is perfect! Hope this is what transpires!!

[Vinca]

14. At long last some good news!

[SupportSanity]

15. This is real? It's not an Onion joke?

Impossible to have seen this coming!

[hlthe2b]

16. That is just about perfect!

[OilemFirchen]

17. This is wildly tickling my brain.

From the Möbius strip of a headline to the entirety of the story, it may well be the definitive description of "too weird for fiction".

How delicious!

[kerouac2]

18. Should use it to enlighten the trumpers

Turn their hate on trump with actual factual info. Instead of being enraged by phony pizzagate, be enraged by actual gym Jordan etc. idk.

[Xipe Totec]

19. Not the Onion?

[SupportSanity]

20. Link to article - non paywall

https://archive.ph/pxmqX

[SupportSanity]

21. But the real question is....... will you still be able to buy vitamins on the new site?!!!

[littlemissmartypants]

24. No. Discontinued. Permanently. ❤️

[Bernardo de La Paz]

22. Poetic justice. So, no change, ... always was fiction, always will be fiction! . . . . nt

[dreamland]

25. Perfect

👏👏👏

[Maeve]

26. I haven't laughed so hard in weeks! Hubby called up to ask what had happened

Satire LIVES in real life!!!!!

[underpants]

27. Too funny.

[LiberalArkie]

28. Infowars.com credibility just shot up 1000x.

[Maeve]

29. Think of all those pickup truck owners scratching the bumper stickers off....

[Docreed2003]

30. Lmmfao...

[CaptainTruth]

32. InfoWars was fake news anyway, so it seems appropriate.

[moose65]

33. This is from The Onion, right??

[dchill]

34. Checkout time, Alex.

[pansypoo53219]

35. the resisstance will be amused.

[SunSeeker]

36. LOL

[Dem2theMax]

37. Finally! Some news that put a smile on my face.

This is some kind of karmic gold!

[Chellee]

38. We have a local InfoWars enthusiast

that has spray painted "InfoWars" on every abandoned building and railroad overpass in the city.

Thanks for advertising for The Onion dude.

[surfered]

39. Awwww. That's too bad. Of course, you did it to yourself.

[republianmushroom]

40. Fitting !

[LetMyPeopleVote]

41. This makes me smile

Link to tweet

[red dog 1]

43. Here's Robert Reich's tweet about it:

Can Defamation Law End Right-Wing Lies?

Link to tweet

[riversedge]

45. Trump constantly defames people--and it earned him the Oval Office.

[riversedge]

44. Lady Justice pays Jones a visit. te he.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/onion-buys-infowars-bankruptcy-auction/story?id=115858794
The Onion buys InfoWars in bankruptcy auction

Alex Jones was sued by families of the Sandy Hook massacre.
By Aaron Katersky November 14, 2024, 9:01 AM


Federal judge orders liquidation of Alex Jones' assets to pay Sandy Hook families
Jones owes the families $1.5 billion after losing defamation lawsuits. The conspiracy theorist claimed the mass shooting that killed 20 children and six teachers was a government hoax.

The satirical website The Onion purchased InfoWars on Thursday, a capstone on years of litigation and bankruptcy proceedings following InfoWars founder Alex Jones' defamation of families associated with the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

Those families backed The Onion's bid to purchase InfoWars' intellectual property, including its website, customer lists and inventory, certain social media accounts and the production equipment used to put Jones on the air. The Connecticut families agreed to forgo a portion of their recovery to increase the overall value of The Onion's bid, enabling its success.


The families said the purchase would put an end to Jones' misinformation campaign.

"We were told this outcome would be nearly impossible, but we are no strangers to impossible fights. The world needs to see that having a platform does not mean you are above accountability -- the dissolution of Alex Jones' assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for," said Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting............

Link to tweet

In 2022, the families that brought the case against Jones in Connecticut secured a $1.4 billion verdict in their defamation lawsuit. A Texas bankruptcy court ruled on the liquidation of Jones' assets in June of this year, handing over control to an independent trustee tasked with selling them off to generate the greatest possible value for the families.


"From day one, these families have fought against all odds to bring true accountability to Alex Jones and his corrupt business. Our clients knew that true accountability meant an end to Infowars and an end to Jones' ability to spread lies, pain and fear at scale. After surviving unimaginable loss with courage and integrity, they rejected Jones' hollow offers for allegedly more money if they would only let him stay on the air because doing so would have put other families in harm's way," said Chris Mattei, attorney for the Connecticut plaintiffs and partner at Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder...................

[slightlv]

46. In a twist made directly for print in the Onion! (LOL)

[uppityperson]

47. K&R