(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Far-left news watchdog Media Matters for America has filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a bid to block a state investigation into the company’s practice.
The lawsuit, first reported by NBC News on Dec. 12. accused Paxton of violating the company’s First Amendment rights after launching a scathing investigation into Media Matters’ dubious reports against Elon Musk and Twitter.
Media Matters claims that Paxton initiated an illegal plot to retaliate against their relentless media attacks against Musk. This included a Nov. 16 report alleging that Twitter displayed ads from major companies alongside white supremacist and racist tweets.
In response, major corporations like Apple, Disney and Fox Sports halted their ads on Twitter, prompting Musk to sue Media Matters for defamation. Echoing Musk, Paxton launched an inquiry into Media Matters, citing potential “fraudulent activity.”
🚨 Today I opened an investigation into Media Matters for potential fraudulent activity after X CEO Elon Musk accused the left-wing media watchdog group of manipulating data on the social media platform. https://t.co/oL1UPNXzeo
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) November 21, 2023
“Attorney General Paxton was extremely troubled by the allegations that Media Matters, a radical anti-free speech organization, fraudulently manipulated data on X.com (formerly known as Twitter),” the Texas attorney general’s office said in a statement.
Media Matters attorneys claimed on Monday that Paxton’s investigation has hindered the company’s “ability to investigate and publish news stories and further chills their ability to participate in a robust public discussion around political extremism on the X platform.”
The lawsuit was filed in Maryland, where the author of the Musk report resides, and seeks to permanently block Paxton’s investigation.
According to NBC News, Media Matters argued that the Texas investigation violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of due process and violates reporters’ protections, specifically the “shield” law which protects reporters in Maryland from disclosing their sources.
Media Matters’ lawsuit against Paxton joins a growing web of legal battles stemming from the leftist reports against Twitter.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry also launched an investigation into Media Matters, accusing the media watchdog of attempting to “defame” Twitter by causing advertisers to “pull their support from the platform, thus harming free speech.”
Last week, @AGJeffLandry and I directed a letter to major companies who pulled their advertisements from X.
We wanted to let the corporations know that Missouri has opened an investigation into Media Matters for allegedly fraudulent behavior. pic.twitter.com/ffTGKJuhEb
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) December 18, 2023
