Judge’s Decision Allows Musk’s Legal Battle With Media Group to Continue

Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters will continue after a federal judge refused to dismiss the case, raising significant questions about media accountability and freedom.

At a Glance

A federal judge in Texas ruled against Media Matters’ request to dismiss Elon Musk’s lawsuit.
The trial is set to proceed on April 7.
Media Matters published a report showing hateful content next to ads, leading to a lawsuit from X, formerly known as Twitter.
Companies like Apple, IBM, and Disney paused their advertising on X following the report.
Media Matters stands by its report, while Musk’s team claims it was “intentionally deceptive.”

Federal Judge Denies Dismissal Request

A federal judge in Texas ruled Thursday that the lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X against Media Matters for America can move forward. Judge Reed O’Connor denied Media Matters’ request to dismiss the case, highlighting the plaintiff’s claims were adequately pled. This decision sets the stage for a legal confrontation between Musk’s social media giant and the media watchdog organization.

X, formerly known as Twitter, filed the lawsuit in November after Media Matters published a report displaying hateful content, including neo-Nazi and white nationalist posts, next to advertisements from esteemed companies such as Apple, IBM, and Disney. These companies, among others, paused their advertising campaigns on X, causing significant revenue losses for the platform.

Elon Musk's X can proceed to trial in case against Media Matters after Texas judge denies dismissal request https://t.co/Pg1UtoP79I

— CNBC (@CNBC) August 30, 2024

Media Matters’ Defense and Musk’s Response

Media Matters President Angelo Carusone condemned the lawsuit as “frivolous” and a blatant attempt to silence critics. Carusone stated, “This is a frivolous lawsuit meant to bully X’s critics into silence.” Meanwhile, Musk’s legal team insists the report was “intentionally deceptive” and aimed to “drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X Corp.”

“This is a frivolous lawsuit meant to bully X’s critics into silence,” the non-profit’s president, Angelo Carusone, said in a prepared statement.

Media Matters argues that their report was factual and transparent, expressing confidence in their likelihood of prevailing in court. They also assert that X manipulated algorithms and used accounts that followed extreme content to create misleading juxtapositions of ads next to hateful posts. The watchdog organization stands by its reporting and expects a judicial review to validate their findings.

The split second court opens on Monday, X Corp will be filing a thermonuclear lawsuit against Media Matters and ALL those who colluded in this fraudulent attack on our company pic.twitter.com/55vl7PspaQ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023

Broader Implications

The lawsuit, scheduled for trial on April 7, will scrutinize whether Media Matters’ reports were genuinely deceptive or if X is attempting to suppress legitimate criticism. Legal experts suggest Musk might be seeking a sympathetic ruling by filing the claims in the Northern District of Texas. Judge O’Connor dismissed Media Matters’ request to include Tesla as an interested party, stating there is no evidence showing Tesla has a direct financial interest in the case’s outcome.

“A defendant who targets a Texas company with tortious activity has fair warning that it may be sued there,” concluded O’Connor, throwing out the dismissal.

As the legal proceedings unfold, Media Matters faces additional scrutiny from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has initiated an investigation into possible fraudulent activity, further complicating the backdrop of this high-profile case.