The families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting asked a bankruptcy judge to liquidate Alex Jones’ media company over the weekend.
Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy protection after he was ordered in 2022 to pay nearly $1.5 billion to family members of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. for promoting false conspiracy theories. that the shooting that left 26 people dead was a hoax.
The families filed an emergency motion in the Southern District of Texas on Sunday to ask the bankruptcy court to convert the bankruptcy reorganization into a liquidation, according to court documents.
“The Connecticut families strongly believe that a supervised liquidation is critical at this time and will bring the FSS case to a much-needed conclusion in a way that will allow creditors to obtain a prompt recovery,” the motion states.
Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said he will address the motion on June 14, according to the Associated Press (AP). The media company will be able to operate at least until that date, the judge ruled.
The motion cited comments Jones made over the weekend on his podcast claiming his media company would be shut down by the federal government and the bankruptcy system. He also said at one point that followers of his should “surround the building and just make a big deal out of it and expose it” to protect the company, according to the court document.
The Associated Press noted that Jones appeared to cry at times.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to beat these people. I’m not trying to be dramatic here, but it’s been a difficult struggle. These people hate our kids,” Jones said on his Saturday show, according to the AP.
The AP reported that Jones’ programs appeared to be a response to disagreements between Jones, a court-appointed restructuring officer and PQPR Holdings Limited. PQPR provides nutritional supplements that Jones sells at his programs, but he also owns most of the company, according to the AP.
A lawyer for PQPR objected to allowing Free Speech Systems to operate until June 14, while Jones’ lawyers wanted the company to be allowed to operate, according to the news service.
The Hill has contacted attorneys representing Free Speech Systems in the case.
The Associated Press contributed.
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