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☆ RFK Jr.’s VP prospect Aaron Rodgers has shared false Sandy Hook conspiracy theories in private conversations
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Pamela Brown | Jake Tapper | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has confirmed that among his potential vice-presidential prospects is New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who in private conversations shared deranged conspiracy theories about the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting not being real. Hearing that she was a journalist with CNN, Rodgers immediately began attacking the news media for covering up important stories. Such conspiracy theories were also later at the center of lawsuits brought by victims’ families when they sued conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on the matter. This person, to whom CNN has granted anonymity so as to avoid harassment, recalled that several years ago, Rodgers claimed, “Sandy Hook never happened…All those children never existed. Kennedy told CNN in an interview on Tuesday that he had recently met with Rodgers, as well as former Minnesota Gov.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Aaron Rodgers, Sandy Hook, Rodgers, Pamela Brown, Brown, Alex Jones, Jones, ”, “, ” Rodgers, Kennedy, Jesse Ventura Organizations: CNN, Independent, New York Jets, Kentucky Derby, Green Bay Packers, Derby, Sandy Hook Elementary, Minnesota Gov Locations: Sandy, Connecticut, Oakland , California

☆ Text messages shed new light on scope of fake electors plot after 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Marshall Cohen | Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This undercuts his recent testimony to state prosecutors in which he said the fake electors were contingent on winning the litigation. Chesebro told Troupis in late 2020 that it was “really not necessary” to link the GOP electors to ongoing litigation. “I have sent it to the White House this afternoon. The real decision makers,” Troupis responded, though he didn’t identify who at the White House received the memo. In the December 6, 2020, memo, Chesebro laid out the plan to put forth slates of Republican electors in seven key swing states that Trump lost, including Wisconsin.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Donald Trump, Jim Troupis, Wisconsin’s, Chesebro, Trump, Troupis, ” Chesebro, Weeks, Alex Jones, Jones, “, ” Memo, Jim, Justin Clark, ” Troupis, Reince Priebus, Wisconsinites, The Trump, CNN’s Katelyn Polantz Organizations: CNN, Trump, Michigan, “, Capitol, White, White House Locations: Wisconsin, Georgia

Chesebro’s social media presence Pro-Trump attorney Kenneth Chesebro told Michigan investigators that he doesn’t have any social media accounts, including Twitter. But CNN uncovered a secret Twitter account that Chesebro used to anonymously post about the 2020 election in real-time. Yet in his interview with Michigan investigators, Chesebro said the very opposite, claiming that the entire electors plan was contingent on the courts. Michigan investigators secured Chesebro’s cooperation in December, after previously charging the 16 fake electors in that state with multiple felonies. Chesebro distances himself from the plotIn his interview with Michigan investigators, Chesebro repeatedly tried to downplay his knowledge of the electors plan.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Chesebro, ”, Robert Langford, Danny Wimmer, Dana Nessel, “, ” Chesebro, Trump, BadgerPundit, Mike Pence, Joe Biden, Pence, hadn’t, Jack, “ Chesebro, Ryan Goodman, ” Goodman, Manny Arora, Arora, Wimmer, John Eastman, Alex Jones, I’d, Gore, Laurence, “ it’s, Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, Donald Trump, won’t, Biden, ” BadgerPundit, Jefferson, ” CNN’s Selwyn Rocha Organizations: CNN, Trump, Twitter, Michigan, CNN CNN, BadgerPundit, Chesebro, Republican, Pro, CNN CNN Twitter, Wayback Machine, New York University, Michigan Attorney, Bush, Trump International Hotel, Atlantic, ”, Biden, Eastman, Pence, Capitol Locations: Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, “, Chesebro, Gore, cryptocurrency, Washington ,, Bush, Trump’s, Washington

☆ Kayne West's sampling of icons like Donna Summer and Ozzy Osbourne is a 'clear-cut' case of copyright infringement, legal experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Though Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath in 1979, his wife, Sharon Osbourne, told Billboard any songs the band wrote — Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — require the approval of all four members to license. Regardless of the social media feud, legal experts say if true, the unauthorized use of the samples would be a “clear-cut” case of copyright infringement. He didn't dispute it,” entertainment attorney Donald M. Woodard of Carter and Woodard told Business Insider. AdvertisementOsbourne's recent objection to West's sample would be considered a new copyright claim, as the license for use does not permit West to sample the song in perpetuity. In 2022, Chicago artist Marshall Jefferson accused the rapper of using his song “Move Your Body” in the West song “Flowers” without permission.

Persons: —, Ty Dolla, West —, Ye —, Ozzy Osbourne, Donna Summer, West …, Donna Summer's, …, Osbourne, West swiped, Ye, Kanye, Hitler West, he'd, Instagram, Alex Jones, Hitler, Sharon Osbourne, — Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward —, Rolling Stone, FUGA, Tyrone William Griffin Jr, — hasn't, Sharon, Bianca Censori —, Ozzy, who's, I've, Donald M, Woodard of Carter, Woodard, West, ” Woodard, “, Robert Freund, Freund, Marshall Jefferson, Griffin Organizations: Service, ign, Business, Billboard, West, iTunes, Apple Music, FUGA, Spotify, Amazon Music, Daily Mail, Kanye Locations: Chicago

☆ Trump lawyers don't want prospective jurors in 'hush-money' case to be asked if 2020 election was stolen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Todd Blanche, the lead attorney representing Trump in the case, said that jurors should not be asked whether they believe the 2020 election — which Trump lost to now-President Joe Biden — was "stolen." Ahead of the 2016 election, Trump sought to keep Daniels — an adult film actor whose real name is Stephanie Clifford — quiet about an affair she says she had with him. It will also be the first time a former president has ever sat for a criminal trial. Blanche asked Merchan to take a fresh look at the questions jurors should be asked. AdvertisementLast year, Trump went through a three-month civil trial in Manhattan for a case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Alex Jones, Tucker Carlson, Todd Blanche, Trump, Joe Biden —, Blanche, Joshua Steinglass, Biden didn't, Steinglass, Juan Merchan, couldn't, Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Stephanie Clifford —, Jean Carroll, defaming, Lewis Kaplan's, Jean Carroll's, Judge Kaplan, Pres, Donald Trump winked, Jeffrey Toobin, Ben Shapiro, Sean Hannity, Jeffrey Toobin —, Susan Necheles, mutter, Carroll, Toobin, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Smith, Letitia James, Arthur Engoron Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, New, Attorney, US, Getty, Prosecutors, New Yorker, CNN, Justice, New York, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Washington, DC, Fulton County, Florida

WASHINGTON (AP) — Each time Donald Trump refers to a Georgia prosecutor 's colleague as her “lover,” he's invoking a strikingly familiar turn of phrase. He's jumped on allegations of affairs and leveled claims of bias against agents, prosecutors and judges. “This case is a Hoax, just like Russia, Russia, Russia (and all of the rest! The Comey memo revealed that Trump had asked him to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. But to Trump and his supporters, the disclosure became an opening to attack Comey as a “leaker."

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Trump, He's, Reid Schar, Rod Blagojevich, ” Trump, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Willis, Georgia's, “, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Strzok, ” “ Trump, Greg Brower, Christopher Steele, James Comey, he'd, Comey, Michael Flynn, Robert Mueller's, Trump's, Mueller, — Mueller, Virginia —, Christopher Mattei, John Rowland, Sandy, Alex Jones, Trump “, he’s Organizations: WASHINGTON, Trump, “ Prosecutors, of Justice, Illinois, DOJ, American, The Justice, Associated Press, FBI, Justice, Former, Connecticut Gov, Elementary Locations: Georgia, Russia, Fulton County, America, Virginia, Connecticut

☆ How Trump's 'I'm rich!' boasts are coming back to bite him in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Laura Italiano | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The day before awarding Carroll $83.3 million in damages — Trump's penance for calling her a lying "whack job" when she told the world he'd sexually assaulted her — jurors heard, firsthand, how rich he was. AdvertisementTrump's "I'm rich" boasts hurt him in both the Carroll verdict and the upcoming fraud trial verdict, Snell said. Punitive damages in defamation cases are supposed to have a deterrent effect, to stop the defamation from happening again. AdvertisementTrump's wealth also illustrates why the jury imposed enormous punitive damages compared to the $18.3 million to compensate Carroll. The Carroll jury also heard Trump boast about the value of his "brand."

Persons: Donald Trump's, Jean Carroll, Donald Trump, Carroll, Roberta Kaplan, Trump, Letitia James, I'm, Tristan Snell, General's, Snell, Trump's, —, Kaplan, J, Erik Connolly, Connolly, Stephanie Keith, There's, We've, that's, Forbes, Timothy A, Clary, didn't, Chris Mattei, Alex Jones, Mattei, Arthur Engoron, Engoron Organizations: Carroll, Trump, New York Attorney, New, New York, Trump University, Disney, Benesch, NEW, Manhattan Federal Court, E, MSNBC, Trump Organization, Forbes, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: Manhattan, Smartmatic, New York City, AFP, New York

☆ Spotify needed Joe Rogan. And Joe Rogan needed Spotify. So they're sticking together.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But it's still going to be a major force in podcasting for years to come — because it's hanging on to Joe Rogan. Spotify says Rogan, the most popular person in podcasting, will be sticking around the platform via a "multiyear" contract. AdvertisementAll of this makes a lot of sense, given the way that podcasting — and Spotify's commitment to podcasting — has changed. That backing almost certainly helped keep Rogan with Spotify for another deal. So instead, this deal means Rogan gets a reliable income source, and Spotify gets the best-known name in the industry.

Persons: —, it's, Joe Rogan, Rogan, Rogan's, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Alex Cooper, Cooper, Alex Jones, Neil Young, Rogan didn't Organizations: Service, Spotify, Street Journal, Bloomberg, Business, Apple, YouTube, Edison Research

☆ Trump's sexual assault on E. Jean Carroll cost him just $2mil. His mouth put him on the hook for nearly $90mil more.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Most of the nearly $100 million Donald Trump owes E. Jean Carroll stems from verbal attacks on her. For the sexual assault, the jury ordered Trump to cough up just over $2 million to the longtime advice columnist. This most recent trial differed from last year's, at which Carroll sued Trump for both the sexual abuse and defamation. AdvertisementE. Jean Carroll with her attorneys Shawn Crowley and Roberta Kaplan following the second trial's jury verdict. Only a massive punitive damages verdict, Carroll's lawyers argued, would get Trump to actually stop.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Trump, Carroll, —, E, she's, Carroll's, defaming Carroll, Spencer Platt, Chris Mattei, Alex Jones, Mattei, Shawn Crowley, Roberta Kaplan, Yuki Iwamura, wasn't, J, Erik Connolly, Connolly, Carroll —, Donald Trump's, hasn't Organizations: Service, CBS, Trump, Business, Getty, White, AP, Benesch, CNN Locations: Manhattan, New York City

☆ The ‘mainstreaming’ of ‘hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric’ in right-wing media is leading to violence, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

These are the toxic themes espoused in right-wing media, delivered each day through a mix of internet pipelines and broadcasts to millions of homes across the country. It’s part of a larger trend of right-wing violence afflicting the country. And it proliferates on social media platforms, where right-wing extremists maintain a loud presence and boast millions of followers. Rarely will you see a segment about the information crisis on the evening news or delivered prominently via other vessels of mainstream media. The language they use, she said, “winks at,” “nurtures,” and “flirts with violence,” but also offers them just enough “plausible deniability” when things go south.

Persons: Sinister globalists, “, ”, Donald Trump’s, Alex Jones ranted, ” Andrew McCabe, ” McCabe, you’re, ” Luke Baumgartner, ” Baumgartner, ” Juliette Kayyem, Kayyem, ” Kayyem Organizations: New, New York CNN, YouTube, Buffalo, El, El Paso Walmart, U.S . Capitol, Defamation League, ADL, Fox News, Klan, Extremism, George Washington University, Media, Republican Party, Homeland Security, Security, Global Health, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Locations: New York, America, Charlottesville, Charleston, El Paso, today’s America, U.S

Part motel, part new-age clinic, the facility offers nightly rentals in rooms that come equipped with “BioHealers” –- canisters that the company claims exude “life force energy,” or biophotons. “There are some forces driving that: obviously the internet and social media, and distrust of traditional medicine, traditional science. Given the primary importance of health, it’s hardly surprising that unproven medical claims and products that seem too-good-to-be-true have a long history in America. “ Distrust of government and distrust of major institutions makes people vulnerable,” said Stephen Barrett, a psychiatrist and expert in unproven medical claims who launched the organization Quackwatch in the 1970s to highlight medical scams. As a result, low-level hucksters or those peddling unproven treatments often don’t get as much attention.

Persons: BUTLER, exude, Tesla, Dr, James Liu, ”, Liu, Timothy Caulfield, Medbeds, Donald Trump, “ I’m, medbeds, ” Liu, it’s, John Brinkley, they’ve, Alex Jones, Trump, Stephen Barrett, Elon Musk, Nikola Tesla, Seth Robinson, Robinson doesn’t, We’re, Tesla’s, I’ve, Caulfield, ” Caulfield, “ It’s, ” Tesla’s, Bahman Anvari, It’s Organizations: Tesla, MedBed, Penn State University, “, University of Alberta, Walmart, Associated Press, Drug Administration, Elon, FDA, AP, University of California Locations: Pa, Pittsburgh, China, New Jersey, Butler, Tennessee, America, Florida, Delaware, Riverside

The credible data that exists on crimes motivated by conspiracy theories shows a disturbing increase. Many of those charged said they had bought into Trump’s conspiracy theories about a stolen election. “Lies, lies lies: They're lying to you over and over and over again,” said Steve Girard, a Pennsylvania man who has protested the incarceration of Jan. 6 defendants. While they may have taken on a bigger role in our politics, surveys show that belief in conspiracy theories hasn't changed much over the years, according to Joe Uscinski, a University of Miami professor and an expert on the history of conspiracy theories. Russia has amplified numerous anti-U.S. conspiracy theories, including ones claiming the U.S. runs secret germ warfare labs and created HIV as a bioweapon, as well as conspiracy theories accusing Ukraine of being a Nazi state.

Persons: ”, Nash, Melissa Sell, Sell, Elon Musk, There's, Evan Hansen, Wired.com, Musk, It’s, ” Hansen, Donald Trump, Trump, Mark Milley, Milley, Laws, Vince Lynch, Lynch, Danielle Citron, Sandy, —, Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, Hillary Clinton, chemtrails, “, hospitalizations, Robert Palmer, they're, Steve Girard, Jan, hasn't, Joe Uscinski, ” Uscinski, “ Jan, Tom Fishman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., United, Big Tech, Meta, Facebook, titans, Army, University of Maryland’s National Consortium, University of Virginia School of Law, Sandy Hook Elementary, CNN, FBI, Capitol, The Associated Press, Trump, University of Miami, Twitter, United States, U.S, . Locations: Maui, Chile, America, United States, Pennsylvania, U.S, Israel, Newtown , Connecticut, Florida, California, Wisconsin, Washington, Russia, China, Iran, Ukraine, Nazi

In December, a jury ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay $148 million for defaming election workers. AdvertisementThese extraordinary judgments are the result of a combination of factors, but social media plays a major role, legal experts said. While in the past, high-profile figures may have been less willing to make defamatory statements, social media can actually provide an incentive for them to do so. Jones also stood to gain from spreading conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook shooting, according to Mattei. Lieb added it's not that any statement made on social media will automatically carry major consequences, but that the size of the person's audience makes a huge difference.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Jean Carroll —, Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, We've, Chris Mattei, Jones, Mattei, Infowars, it's, Andrew Lieb, Lieb, Giuliani, Carroll, John Jones Organizations: Service, Business, Carroll, Trump, Dickinson College Locations: New York

☆ Trump's 'disrespectful' behavior during E. Jean Carroll trial turned the jury against him and saddled him with an $83.3 million bill, legal experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A federal jury ordered Donald Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages on Friday. During the defamation trial, Trump and his attorney appeared to frequently frustrate the presiding judge. The jury deliberated for under three hours before delivering their verdict, which included $18.8 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages for Carroll. Juries tend to grow attached to their presiding trial judge, Jones said, adding that they often come to see the judge as a protector of sorts. The $83.3 million in damages are on top of $5 million in damages Carroll won during the May 2023 trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Trump, —, Jean Carroll's, Carroll, Lewis Kaplan, Alina Habba, impatiently, John Jones, Jones, Kaplan, Chris Mattei, Alex Jones, Mattei, defaming Carroll, Habba, Biden, Witch Hunt, That's Organizations: Service, Carroll, US, Dickinson College, Trump, —, Republican Party Locations: Pennsylvania

Will Trump keep that up, now that he's been hit with a $83.3 million defamation judgment? A jury on Friday found that Trump had maliciously damaged Carroll's reputation in 2019 after she went public with her accusations. If both judgments stand, Trump would owe her a total of $88.3 million. THE FIRST TRIALCarroll sued Trump for defamation in 2019, saying his statements about her were false and damaged her reputation. The $88.3 million in judgments against Trump are actually less than what some of his supporters have faced in recent defamation cases.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Will Trump, he's, Trump, Carroll, Goodman, Jean, District Judge Lewis A, Kaplan, ” Kaplan, Alina Habba, Habba, CARROLL, Rudy Giuliani, Alex Jones, Sandy, Giuliani, Jones Organizations: Trump, Elle, White, House, House . U.S, District, U.S, Supreme, TRUMP, Carroll, New, New York City, Elementary Locations: Manhattan, lacy, New York, House ., Georgia, Texas, Connecticut, That's

☆ A convoy calling themselves 'God's army' plans to head to the Texas border to stop migrants from entering the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA convoy of hundreds of people plans to head to the Texas border to stop migrants crossing into the country from Mexico. The group, called "Take Our Border Back," is organizing on Telegram and now has more than 1,600 followers. The group said that one of their goals is to stop illegal immigration immediately and close the border. It is not clear how the group plans to confront migrants at the border and stop them from entering. Chambers described those troops as "holding the line," and said his convoy would go to an area about 30 miles away.

Persons: —, God, Pete Chambers, conspiracist Alex Jones, Chambers, Keith Self Organizations: Service, Business, ISIS, Virginia, Texas National Guard, Republican Locations: Texas, Mexico, Syria, Virginia Beach , Virginia, San Ysidro , California, Yuma , Arizona, Eagle, , Texas, Rio Grande

☆ Trump plans to testify in E. Jean Carroll's trial. His only move would be to apologize and beg for forgiveness, experts say.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

On Monday, Trump's attorney Alina Habba said he intends to take the witness stand in his defense. Trump's two driving impulses — to fight the system and to take the witness stand — will create the judicial equivalent of a car wreck, experts told Business Insider. Alternatively, Trump can get on the witness stand and "try to testify in a narrative fashion," Jones said. Carroll's trial does have a jury, making it harder to "unring that bell" of forbidden testimony, Jones said. Or wager that he'll inflict wounds on himself by taking the witness stand?

Persons: —, Jean Carroll, Donald Trump, Trump, defaming Carroll, Carroll, Carroll —, Alina Habba, John Jones, Jilting, MAGA, Jones, " Jones, Lewis Kaplan, — Trump, aren't, Carol Martin, Carroll's, Mary Altaffer Trump, Habba, Chris Mattei, Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, " Mattei, Kaplan, Arthur Engoron, Michael M, Engoron, Will, he's, he'll, Elle, Jane Rosenberg, Mattei, they'll, Rudy Giuliani's, Giuliani, it's, Forbes Organizations: Service, Business, Dickinson College, AP, Trump, New York Attorney, New, US Justice Department, Getty, REUTERS, Republican Locations: Manhattan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia

☆ E. Jean Carroll trial delayed for a second time, postponing expected Trump testimony
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewTestimony in E. Jean Carroll's ongoing defamation trial against Donald Trump was postponed for the second day in a row, according to a notice posted to the court docket. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. The ongoing trial concerns additional defamation damages for two statements Trump made in 2019, while he was president, disparaging Carroll by calling her dishonest and insulting her appearance. On Truth Social and at rallies, he's continued calling Carroll a liar and claims he doesn't know who she is. Chris Mattei, an attorney who represented family members of Sandy Hook shooting victims in their defamation trial against conspiracy theorist Alex Jomes, told Business Insider it would be pointless for Trump to testify.

Persons: —, Jean Carroll's, Donald Trump, Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Alina Habba, Trump, Habba, Carroll, defaming, Robbie Myers, Elle, he's, doesn't, Chris Mattei, Sandy Hook, Alex Jomes, Mattei, Alex Jones Organizations: Service, Business, Republican, Trump Locations: Manhattan, New Hampshire

☆ X is left with advertisers pushing dubious cryptocurrency and AI 'undressing' apps, users say after Musk's outburst
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some X users are complaining the site is overrun with ads pushing crypto and AI "undressing" apps. Social media experts say an advertiser exodus has left X reliant on less reputable buyers. AdvertisementElon Musk's war on advertisers seems to be having some unintended consequences for X. Business InsiderOther suspect advertisements have been spotted on the site, with users also complaining about a surge in ads on their timelines for "undressing" apps. "It also shows the race to the bottom that the X platform has fallen into," he added.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Elon, xqCDa7Ilgm, kevin harrish, Jeff MacDonald, Mekanism, Hamza Mudassir, Musk, Alex Jones, MacDonald, Linda Yaccarino, X, Matt Navarra Organizations: Social, Service, Business, Twitter, Media, Cambridge University, Apple, Disney, The New York Times, Times, IBM, Walmart

of X Elon Musk speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook summit on November 29, 2023 in New York City. Elon Musk on Sunday reinstated the account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on X, formerly Twitter, reneging on a year-ago vow to keep Jones off the social network. Users of the Elon Musk-led X social media platform had anticipated the reinstatement of Jones since at least Thursday, when Musk said he would consider reinstating Jones. Musk said Jones "cannot break the law," but that if he does spread misinformation, X's community notes feature will correct him. X has allowed Tate to monetize his account and Tate has said that he generated tens of thousands of dollars on X, previously.

Persons: Tesla, X Elon Musk, Elon Musk, Alex Jones, Jones, Sandy, Sandy Hook, Infowars, Musk, Andrew Tate —, Tate, monetize, Travis Brown, Jack Sweeney, Aaron Greenspan, MMfA, he's, Donald Trump Organizations: SpaceX, New York Times, Elon, Twitter, Elementary, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Associated Press, Media, America Locations: New York City, Sandy, Newtown , Connecticut, Texas and Connecticut, Romania, New York

Sandy Hook families who won nearly $1.5 billion in legal judgments against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for calling the 2012 Connecticut school shooting a hoax have offered to settle that debt for only pennies on the dollar — at least $85 million over 10 years. His time is up," lawyers for the Sandy Hook families wrote. But this month, a court-appointed restructuring officer upped Jones' pay to about $57,700 biweekly, or $1.5 million a year, saying he has been “grossly” underpaid for how vital he is to the media company. If Jones doesn't accept the families' offer, Lopez would determine how much he would pay the families and other creditors. Relatives, of many but not all, of the Sandy Hook victims sued Jones in Connecticut and Texas, winning nearly $1.5 billion in judgments against him.

Persons: Sandy Hook, Alex Jones, Jones, “ Jones, Vickie Driver, ”, Christopher Lopez, Lopez, Jones ’ Organizations: Free Speech Systems, Speech Systems, Monday, Sandy Hook Elementary Locations: Connecticut, Houston, Sandy, Newtown , Connecticut, Texas

The lies and taunts, which Musk engaged with on social media, turned his life upside down, Brody said. Brody filed a defamation lawsuit last month against Musk, the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter. Online conspiracy theorists soon jumped into the fray. Somehow, someone on social media had found a photo of Brody online and decided he looked like one of the people involved in the clash. The suit alleges that in August after Musk was made aware through his lawyers about Brody’s case for defamation, Musk refused to delete his tweets.

Persons: Ben Brody, Elon Musk, Brody, Musk, —, Alex Jones, Mark Bankston, who’ve, ”, CNN “, ‘ You’re, “ You’re, “, ” Brody, ‘, ” Musk, ’ ” Brody, wouldn’t, Alex Jones Bankston, Sandy Hook, Bankston, Jones, Musk’s, Ben, “ Musk, Paul Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi, “ It’s, I’m, It’s Organizations: CNN, Nazi, Twitter, Sandy, Elementary, University of California Locations: California, Nazi, United States, Riverside , California, Portland , Oregon, Riverside, Oregon, Travis County , Texas

☆ Judge rules Alex Jones can’t use bankruptcy to avoid paying $1.1 billion to Sandy Hook families
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Lauren Del Valle | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A federal bankruptcy judge ruled Thursday that bankruptcy proceedings will not shield Infowars host Alex Jones from more than $1.1 billion in damages he owes the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims who won a civil defamation case against him in Connecticut last year. The families filed a motion in May asking the court to force Jones to pay the trial damages and rule out the possibility of a forced settlement in Chapter 11 proceedings. Jones and other InfoWars personalities called the massacre a hoax and accused the victims’ families of being crisis actors. Infowars filed bankruptcy last July in the middle of their trial. The summary judgments issued Thursday only addressed Alex Jones’ bankruptcy proceedings, not those of his company, which were not filed under traditional Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Persons: Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, Jones, Christopher Lopez, Lopez, Neil Heslin, Scarlett Lewis, Jesse Lewis, Lewis, Heslin, Infowars, Noah Pozner, Judge Lopez, Alex Jones ’, he’s Organizations: CNN Locations: Connecticut, Newtown , Connecticut, Texas

The electors scheme became a vital part of the end game strategy pursued by Mr. Trump as he and his allies sought to find a way to block or delay congressional certification of his Electoral College defeat. When Mr. Trump directed his supporters to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Mr. Chesebro was among them, accompanying the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to the Capitol grounds. (Mr. Chesebro does not appear to have illegally entered the Capitol as the march turned into a riot.) If Mr. Chesebro were to testify that Mr. Trump’s lawsuits challenging his loss were not designed to win, but merely as ploys to sow doubt about the election, it could cut against Mr. Trump’s possible plan to use a so-called advice of counsel defense. Beyond his role in the state case in Georgia, Mr. Chesebro was also identified — albeit not by name — as Co-Conspirator 5 in the federal election case filed against Mr. Trump in August by the special counsel, Jack Smith.

Persons: Trump, Chesebro, Alex Jones, John Eastman, Rudolph W, Giuliani, Trump’s, —, Jack Smith Organizations: Mr, Electoral College, Capitol Locations: Georgia

Infowars founder Alex Jones arrives to speak to the media after appearing at his Sandy Hook defamation trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S., October 4, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones cannot use his personal bankruptcy to escape paying at least $1.1 billion in defamation damages stemming from his repeated lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre, a U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled Thursday. Courts in Connecticut and Texas have already ruled that Jones intentionally defamed relatives of school children killed in the mass shooting, and they have ordered Jones to pay $1.5 billion in damages. Lopez ruled that more than $1.1 billion of those verdicts, awarded for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, cannot be wiped away in bankruptcy. Attorneys for Jones and the Sandy Hook families did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, Mike Segar, Christopher Lopez, Jones, Lopez, defaming Leonard Pozner, Veronique De La Rosa, Noah, Dietrich Knauth, Diane Craft, David Gregorio, Alexia Garamfalvi, Rod Nickel Organizations: Connecticut Superior, REUTERS, U.S, Sandy Hook Elementary, Free Speech Systems, CNN, Thomson Locations: Waterbury , Connecticut, U.S, Houston , Texas, Connecticut, Texas, Newtown , Connecticut

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