The fate of Alex Jones’ conspiracy empire, Infowars, hangs in the balance as a Texas bankruptcy court hears a motion from the families of the Sandy Hook victims on whether to liquidate the company. The families have not received any of the $1.5 billion in judgments they are owed and argue that there is no prospect of Infowars producing a proper reorganization plan under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. If the judge rules in favor of the families, Infowars would be shuttered, and a trustee would be appointed to sell off Jones’ media empire. Jones has spread dangerous and hateful conspiracy theories, including falsehoods about the Sandy Hook shooting, and enriched himself with his lies.
Jones has faced legal repercussions from juries in Texas and Connecticut, but has been able to continue operating Infowars after filing for bankruptcy protection. Even if the judge does not order the liquidation of his company, Jones has moved to liquidate his personal assets, implying that he will no longer own Infowars in the future. While there is a possibility that the company could be sold to a potential buyer, such as a fellow conspiracy theorist like Tucker Carlson, the attorneys representing the Sandy Hook families expect the most likely scenario is that Infowars will be sold off piece by piece, with the proceeds going to their clients.
The potential demise of Infowars is part of a trend where the legal system is holding right-wing media outlets accountable for spreading lies and misinformation. Companies operated by conspiracy profiteers rarely admit to wrongdoing unless faced with legal action, making the courts the only avenue for victims of lies to correct the public record. In recent cases, Fox News paid a historic settlement to Dominion Voting Systems, The Gateway Pundit filed for bankruptcy protection, and One America News settled a case with Smartmatic. Several other cases are still pending in the legal system.
While the legal system may move slowly, it has been effective in helping victims recoup damages for the lies spread by dishonest media outlets. While no amount of money can fully heal the wounds inflicted by the lies Jones told about Sandy Hook, the liquidation of his assets represents some progress. The families of the Sandy Hook victims have long sought to protect themselves and others from the harm inflicted by Jones, and the potential liquidation of Infowars is seen as a moment of pride for them. The court’s decision could ultimately lead to the demise of Jones’ conspiracy empire and prevent further spread of dangerous and harmful misinformation by him.
