Another day, another legal blow for Alex Jones.
On Friday, a Connecticut judge ordered the right-wing conspiracy theorist to hand over various Infowars documents to the plaintiffs in his ongoing defamation lawsuit. Jones is being sued by six families of Sandy Hook victims, who claim the 44-year-old pundit has made abusive and false claims about the 2012 elementary school massacre. The plaintiffs say Jones promulgated conspiracy theories that the mass shooting was staged, and that the 26 families who lost relatives were nothing more than paid "crisis actors." There has been no solid evidence to support this theory.
Friday's order allows the families access to Infowars' internal marketing and financial documents, which may provide more insight to the outlet's inner workings and how it may have profited from spreading lies.
"From the beginning we have alleged that Alex Jones and his financial network trafficked in lies and hate in order to profit from the grief of Sandy Hook families," attorney Chris Mattei said Friday. "That is what we intend to prove, and today’s ruling advances our effort. We look forward to gaining access to Infowars’ internal marketing and financial documents to show that Jones has built an empire as nothing more than a conspiracy profiteer, as alleged in our complaint.”
Jones and Infowars are attempting to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming his reports on Sandy Hook are protected by the First Amendment. The plaintiffs argue Jones and his team knowingly spread false information, which is not protected by free speech.
"Plaintiffs suffered a horrible tragedy," his defense attorney, Jay M. Wolman, wrote in a motion to dismiss the suit. "Alex Jones and Infowars are not responsible for this tragedy. To punish them for First Amendment protected speech on this matter of public concern will not bring back the lives lost."
