The Onion Acquires Infowars in Bankruptcy Auction, Sandy Hook Families Back Satirical Takeover

In a surprising twist, The Onion, a satirical news publication known for its absurd takes on current events, has won the bid to acquire Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction. The bid was supported by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, to whom Jones owes over $1 billion in defamation judgments after he falsely called the massacre a hoax.

Justice and Relief for Sandy Hook Families

Robbie Parker, father of Emilie Parker, one of the young victims of the 2012 Connecticut tragedy, expressed profound relief and a sense of justice in the sale: “The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for,” Parker stated through his lawyers.

The Onion Takes Control of Infowars

With the acquisition, The Onion gains control over Infowars’ website, social media accounts, Austin-based studio, trademarks, and video archive. Although the sale price has not been revealed, The Onion hinted at a “steep bargain: less than one trillion dollars” in a satirical column on its site.

Partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety

For its “exclusive launch advertiser,” The Onion has formed a partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety, a leading gun violence prevention organization. Everytown plans to utilize Infowars’ platforms to spread awareness about gun violence, effectively flipping the script on Jones’ previous content and offering a more constructive narrative.

Jones Delivers Defiant Farewell

The Infowars website went dark Thursday morning, with Jones delivering a fiery sign-off on his live broadcast. Defiant, Jones declared his intention to contest the sale in court and promised his followers a comeback from a new studio with alternative media channels.

Satire Blends with Justice

The Onion, headquartered in Chicago, has a history of blending satire with current events in ways that often blur the line between fiction and reality. Known for articles like “Trump Boys Have Slap-Fight Over Who Gets To Run Foreign Policy Meetings” and “Oklahoma Law Requires Ten Commandments To Be Displayed In Every Womb,” the publication poked fun at Jones’ alleged $1 billion loss in a recent satirical statement: “No price would be too high for such a cornucopia of malleable assets and minds.”

Sandy Hook Families Consulted in Bidding Process

The bidding process involved close consultation with Sandy Hook families, who fought Jones in defamation suits in both Connecticut and Texas. “Our clients knew that true accountability meant an end to Infowars and Jones’ ability to spread lies, pain, and fear at scale,” said Christopher Mattei, a lawyer representing the families.

A New Direction for Infowars

While Jones’ supporters had hoped to keep him on Infowars’ platform, First United American Companies, a site associated with Jones’ product sales, was only named as a “backup bid” in the auction. For now, the satirical takeover signals a promising new direction for the once-influential conspiracy platform, suggesting a future filled with humor rather than hoaxes.