The ambitious plan for The Onion to assume control of the controversial media platform InfoWars, with comedian Tim Heidecker slated to serve as creative director, has hit a significant legal roadblock. A Texas court has issued a temporary stay, effectively pausing the transition of Alex Jones’ assets.
The satirical news organization had sought immediate approval for the deal on Thursday. However, an emergency motion filed by legal representatives for Jones was granted by the Texas Third Court of Appeals. The court has scheduled a formal hearing to address the matter on May 28.
The situation remains complex, as lawyers representing the families of the Sandy Hook victims—who secured ownership of InfoWars following a successful civil litigation against Jones—have filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court of Texas. Their objective is to expedite the proceedings and finalize the transfer of the platform.
In a statement shared on social media, The Onion CEO Ben Collins expressed frustration regarding the development, characterizing the legal maneuver as an unprecedented attempt to stall the inevitable. Collins emphasized that the organization remains committed to its agreement with the court-appointed receiver to take over the platform.
“I am so sorry for the delay,” Collins wrote. “We’re trying as hard as we can while Alex Jones invents new avenues to subvert justice with the appeasement of a series of ultimately scared people who should know better. I’m going to keep fighting for the Sandy Hook families, who haven’t seen a penny from Alex Jones.”
Mark Bankston, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the legal battle is merely delaying the conclusion of a defunct media entity. “As far as the world is concerned, Infowars is dead,” Bankston stated. “Everybody knows that. [Jones is] trying to keep the bloated corpse of a media organization alive. It’s all a joke.”
Attorney Chris Mattei added that the families remain resolute, noting that the judgments against Jones and InfoWars have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. “His desperate legal maneuvering can do nothing to stop the inevitable closure of InfoWars,” Mattei said.
For his part, Jones declared a symbolic victory on what he termed the “last official InfoWars show” on Thursday, as the court-appointed receiver ceased funding for the Austin-based studio. Jones indicated plans to relocate his operations to a new studio and digital application in the near future.
In a previous interview with Rolling Stone, Tim Heidecker expressed optimism about the creative potential of the project, despite the inherent complexities of the legal process. “We’re waiting for this last judgment so we have everything kind of set up to go live,” Heidecker said. “Things always take longer than you hope, especially with the law. So we don’t really have a date, but we’re hoping that by the end of May or sooner.”