A federal bankruptcy judge has temporarily paused the sale of Alex Jones’s Infowars to satirical news outlet The Onion, citing concerns about the transparency of the auction process. The decision comes after Jones and a company affiliated with him filed complaints about how their $3.5 million bid was handled during the auction held in Houston on Thursday.
The Onion, known for its satirical take on current events, had planned to relaunch Infowars as a parody website. The acquisition emerged as part of bankruptcy proceedings after Jones was ordered to pay $1.5 billion in damages to families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. Jones had falsely claimed the shooting was a hoax, leading to a defamation lawsuit. To facilitate The Onion’s bid, the Sandy Hook families agreed to accept a reduced payout, increasing the overall value of the deal, according to their attorneys.
Despite The Onion being declared the winner of the auction, Judge Christopher Lopez expressed reservations about the process, including how bids were evaluated. Lopez has scheduled a hearing next week to further investigate the matter.
The trustee overseeing the auction, Christopher Murray, explained that while The Onion did not submit the highest monetary bid, the agreement with the Sandy Hook families made their offer the most advantageous overall. Murray also noted that he skipped a final bidding round, which could have allowed other interested parties to improve their offers. However, Judge Lopez questioned the fairness of this approach, saying, “No one should feel comfortable with the results of this auction.”
On his Infowars show Thursday, Jones criticized the sealed bidding process, calling it “rigged.” The controversial broadcaster, who also sells dietary supplements through his platform, has faced significant financial and legal repercussions since the defamation ruling.
In a statement to The Washington Post, Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion’s parent company, confirmed that their bid, in collaboration with the Sandy Hook families, had been selected as the winning offer. “The sale is currently underway as part of the standard processes,” Collins said.
The Onion’s attempt to transform Infowars into a parody site has generated widespread public interest. However, with Judge Lopez scrutinizing the auction process, the deal’s final approval remains uncertain.
Sources:
- Associated Press coverage of the bankruptcy proceedings.
- The Washington Post statement from Ben Collins.
- Public commentary and statements from Alex Jones during his Infowars broadcast.
- Legal filings and trustee remarks during the bankruptcy auction.
