In a surprising turn of events, The Onion, a well-known satirical news outlet, has successfully secured Alex Jones’ Infowars during a bankruptcy auction. This acquisition was supported by the families of victims from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, to whom Jones owes over $1 billion from defamation rulings related to his claims that the tragic event was a hoax. This news was made public on Thursday by the victim families’ representatives.
Robbie Parker, a father whose daughter Emilie tragically lost her life in the 2012 shooting, expressed the long-awaited satisfaction of justice through a statement shared by his legal team. “The end of Alex Jones’ assets and the closure of Infowars represents the justice we have sought for a long time,” he stated. The precise sale amount for Infowars hasn’t been revealed at this time.
Alex Jones acknowledged The Onion’s purchase in a social media video posted on Thursday, where he indicated plans to challenge the acquisition legally. An inquiry to Infowars for their commentary was sent but has received no immediate response. The future of Infowars remains uncertain, particularly regarding its website, social media platforms, the Austin, Texas studio, trademarks, and video archives – all of which are now set to transition to The Onion. The Onion did not provide a comment following the auction’s conclusion.
Bids for the private auction were opened on Wednesday, with various parties reportedly interested in acquiring Infowars. However, the identities of other bidders remain undisclosed. The Onion, based in Chicago, characterizes itself as a leading news source recognized for its humorous yet impactful coverage of current events, claiming a staggering audience of 4.3 trillion daily readers.
Jones has been vocal on his platform, stating that if his opponents were to take over Infowars, he would transfer his shows and product sales to alternative setups he has already established. Conversely, he mentioned that if his supporters were the winning bidders, he would continue operating under the Infowars banner.
Families of the 26 victims from the Sandy Hook shooting pursued legal action against Jones and his company due to the emotional distress caused by his repeated assertions that the incident was fabricated by crisis actors in an effort to promote gun control legislation. Victims’ relatives testified about their trauma resulting from Jones’ claims and the subsequent harassment from his followers. Legal proceedings took place in both Connecticut and Texas, where the families’ attorneys collaborated with The Onion throughout the process to facilitate the purchase of Infowars.