What to know about The Onion's new effort to take over Alex Jones' Infowars

A copy of the satirical outlet The Onion is seen, Nov. 14, 2024, in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/Jill Bleed, File)

AUSTIN, Texas — The Onion is taking another stab at getting control of Alex Jones’ Infowars platforms and turning them into comedy sites spoofing the conspiracy theorist.

A Texas judge is set to consider Thursday whether to approve the satirical news outlet’s proposed takeover, though Jones has filed last-minute appeals in state and federal courts to try to stop the hearing. It comes amid legal fights over more than US$1 billion Jones owes to relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting for falsely saying the 2012 massacre in Connecticut was a hoax.

The Onion has pursued the Infowars platform before and is gearing up in case it is successful this time. It is already selling Infowars merchandise on its own website, including T-shirts and tote bags with an Infowars logo that replaces the “o” with its trademark Onion image.

Jones has vowed to fight an Onion takeover. If it happens, he would continue broadcasting on his personal social media accounts, new websites and dozens of radio stations that air his program. He also plans to keep selling merchandise, including dietary supplements and clothing that bring in millions of dollars a year.

What to know about Alex Jones, Infowars and the Onion:

How Jones got here

Several relatives of the 20 first graders and six educators killed at Sandy Hook sued Jones and his company in Connecticut and Texas for defamation and inflicting emotional distress for saying the shooting was staged by “crisis actors” to win more gun control.

Victims’ relatives testified that followers of Jones subjected them to death and rape threats, in-person harassment and abusive comments on social media.

Jones argued there was no proof that linked him to the others’ actions. He did concede under oath that the shooting did happen.

The Connecticut case produced a judgment against Jones of more than $1.4 billion in damages, which was reduced by about $150 million during appeals. In Texas, Jones was hit with nearly $50 million in damages. His Texas appeal remains pending.

Jones filed for bankruptcy in late 2022.

How Infowars became a media empire

Jones pushed many conspiracy theories over the last three decades, including that the U.S. government was behind or failed to stop the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 attacks.

As the outlandish nature of his false claims grew, so did his presence across radio stations, his Infowars website and social media.

After getting fired from an Austin radio station in the mid-1990s, he began broadcasting from home on his Infowars website. He bought the domain name for $9.

In 2004, he had two employees and a tiny office. By 2010, Jones had over 60 employees. By 2024, he had four studios in Austin and a warehouse for the products he sells.

Jones says he has a new Austin studio ready if he loses Infowars.

Why a judge rejected The Onion’s previous bid

Jones’ bankruptcy case included a 2024 auction to liquidate Infowars’ assets to help pay off the judgments, and the The Onion was named the winning bidder. But the bankruptcy judge tossed that plan, citing problems with The Onion’s bid and the bidding process.

The bankruptcy judge then allowed the Sandy Hook families to pursue liquidation in state court. Jones has appealed that ruling.

The Onion’s new plan would be a six-month licensing deal with a right to renew as the court-appointed receiver works to eventually sell the assets of Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems. Proceeds from the liquidation would go to the Sandy Hook families.

The Onion would pay $81,000 a month to cover the rent for the building housing Infowars’ studios, utilities and other costs.

What The Onion has planned for Infowars

The Onion recently announced that it had hired people to run the revamped Infowars platforms, including Tim Heidecker, one half of the comedy duo Tim and Eric, known for their work on the Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” shows. Besides parody, plans include showcasing other forms of comedy.

Based in Chicago, The Onion was founded in the 1980s and for decades has skewered politics and pop culture, including making Jones a frequent target of mocking articles. It carries the banner of “America’s Finest News Source” on its masthead.

Mass shootings in the U.S. are often followed by The Onion publishing slightly updated versions of one of its most well-known recurring pieces of satire: “‘No Way to Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.”

Collins reported from Hartford, Conn.

Jim Vertuno And Dave Collins, The Associated Press