InfoWars host Alex Jones is seeking to get a defamation case against him, brought by the parents of a Sandy Hook victim, thrown out of court. He also wants them to pay him more than $100,000 toward his legal costs.
The lawsuit, filed by Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, alleges that De La Rosa was falsely accused of taking part in a bogus interview in a 2017 InfoWars report. InfoWars has fueled a conspiracy theory that the Sandy Hook shooting was a “false flag” to build up opposition to guns. Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six adults in the December 2012 attack.
According to The New York Times, Jones argued the Pozner case should be dismissed under the Texas Citizens Participation Act, which protects citizens’ right to free speech against those who try to silence them through costly litigation. And since he argued the case should be thrown out, he said feels entitled to payment toward his legal costs from the family of the victim. He is asking for more than $100,000, the Times reported.
InfoWars did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The Pozner case isn’t the only defamation suit the InfoWars host is facing.
In the same courthouse, Jones faces a separate defamation case from Marcel Fontaine, who InfoWars falsely identified as the gunman at the Parkland, Florida school shooting in February. Jones has faced legal threats in the past, both from yogurt maker Chobani and “Pizzagate” pizzeria Comet Ping Pong, resulting in on-air apologies.
Last week, Facebook suspended Jones for 30 days for violating the social network’s policy against bullying and hate speech. YouTube also removed four videos from InfoWars, issuing the channel a “strike.” Three strikes in a 90 day period can lead to a permanent termination from YouTube, according to website rules.
Trump's Relationship to Alex Jones: A Breakdown (Photos)
The recent backlash against Megyn Kelly and NBC for interviewing Alex Jones has renewed the spotlight on the host of conservative show "Info Wars." Kelly said in a statement Tuesday that she wanted to interview Jones because of his ties with President Donald Trump. Here's a breakdown of their relationship.
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Trump and Jones began a relationship on Trump's campaign trail, and have peddled some of the same conspiracy theories, according to Mother Jones. Perhaps Trump's most popular conspiracy theory is that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States (he was), a theory also perpetuated by Jones.
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In December 2015, Trump was a guest on Jones' show. Jones introduced Trump as "a maverick" who "tells it like it is." Jones opened the show by praising Trump for taking attacks from media outlets like the Washington Post and the New York Post. Jones theorizes that the attacks on 9/11 were a hoax; it was surprising that a Republican candidate would go on a show whose host postures that the previous Republican president was part of such an elaborate hoax.
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At a January 2016 campaign event, Trump called Jones "a nice guy."
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In February 2016, senior policy advisor to Trump Stephen Miller appeared on "Info Wars," and repeatedly spoke to Jones' audience asking for support. "If you want to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership, if you want to close the border, if you want to protect American jobs and wages, then you have to support Donald J. Trump," Miller said.
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"Hillary for prison" became the rallying cry at the 2016 Republican National Convention. The phrase was initially found on merchandise on the "Info Wars" website. Jones was a "special guest" at the convention.
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Trump continued to parrot Jones' ideas. Last August, Jones said, "It is surreal to talk about issues here on air, and then word-for-word hear Trump say it two days later."
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Also last August, Jones said on his show that he personally talked to Trump and encouraged him to push the idea that the election would be rigged. Trump did end up pushing this idea. "I'm afraid the election's going to be rigged. I have to be honest," Trump said at an Ohio campaign stop.
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In November 2016, Trump's advisor Roger Stone told the Washington Post that Jones would be a "valuable asset" to Trump.
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After the election, Jones said in an "Info Wars" video that Trump called him to thank him. "I wanted to talk to you to thank your audience," Jones said the then-president-elect told him.
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Even Hillary Clinton weighed in on Trump's reliance on Jones for ideas throughout the campaign, and released an attack ad featuring Jones. "This is what Trump listens to," says the ad as Jones talks about chemicals put in the water to make people gay.
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Jones' website is full of references to "presstitutes," and discredits news organizations like NPR and CNN. Trump is known for discrediting several news organizations. For example, in February he called the media "the enemy."
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POTUS calls conspiracy theorist profiled by Megyn Kelly ”a nice guy“
The recent backlash against Megyn Kelly and NBC for interviewing Alex Jones has renewed the spotlight on the host of conservative show "Info Wars." Kelly said in a statement Tuesday that she wanted to interview Jones because of his ties with President Donald Trump. Here's a breakdown of their relationship.