Damages have been awarded to the Sandy Hook families to the tune of almost a billion dollars. That number will shrink on appeal, and of course Alex Jones doesn’t have anywhere near that amount, but at least that sum ought to be hanging over his head for the rest of his life, choking off his ability to con more people and spread more lies. I hope.
Watch. Jones is suddenly going to get a benefactor who will clear up his damages and he’ll go on as before.
Huzzah!
I’m going to use my psychic powers to predict that Alex Jones is about to embark on a fundraising project that would embarrass even Traitorous Trump*. I’ve said (and written) for a long time that the way to punish bad behaviour by the rich and corporate wrongdoers** is to hit them in the money. I think that awards that punish egregiously bad behaviour (not accident damage awards) should be based on a percentage of the wealth. Like Finnish speeding tickets. And for especially egregious behaviour, the award should exceed personal wealth. And include all future income in the computations. As well as any fundraising meant to benefit the wrongdoer***.
No, that won’t work. Nothing embarrasses Traitorous Trump. Shamelessness is one of his superpowers.
** Schools, too. And charities. And churches.
*** While I’m at it, I want a day with no pain, the use of my right hand back, and for taxes on the wealthy to go back to 1950s levels.
There is one more damages trial to come. Wonder what the next jury will decide… Will they top $1 billion?
I had to laugh about Jones’ attorney stating that at $100K/yr, it would take “hundreds” of years to make the $550M the plaintiffs attorney was asking for. First because it would take over 2500 years at that rate and the idea that Jones takes home only $100K/yr year is silly beyond all reason.
Re: me @ #5… Make that 5500 years.
And Jones was already caught trying to shift and hide assets.
The jury will get overruled, as usual, proving our Lady Justice is simply a well paid prostitute.
Perhaps the goal of handing down a near billion dollar award for damages is to wipe out this POS and inflict damage on billionaires that have bankrolled his propaganda in one judgement.
I hope those families receive every penny.
What are the chances that Jones funnels his wealth into an offshore account and then lives off it in a foreign land?
Would he still be able to do his broadcast and continue to sell his supplements?
@3 He was already begging for money as the verdict was read.
If Alex Jones buggers off to Russia, I say let him bloody well stay there.
…and now I am looking forward to Diebold et al taking Fox News for every cent they are worth.
@birgerjohansson #11:
He’ll be free to shoot off his mouth as much as he wants, right up until the moment when, as usual, his brain shuts down and the crackpot words run away from him and Putin takes offence. Right after that he’ll suffer a balcony-related smoking accident.
I hope to live long enough to read Alex Jones died alone in a van by the river
laurian, you’re too kind.
I would prefer to think of him living alone in a van by the river.
(Alas, I am a realist)
Re: John Morales @ #15…
I’m afraid that the realist position is that the appellate court will cut the award by at least an order of magnitude, Jones will (fake) cry his eyes out, and his followers will cough up enough to cover what he actually has to pay, after which Jones will laugh all the way to the bank.
Mmm, maybe, whheydt.
But point is that I was just not being quite as sunny and kind as laurian.
And, even were you to be exactly right, just seeing Jones (fake) cry his eyes out and his followers cough up enough to cover what he actually has to pay will be satisfactory for me. He lost, plain and simple. The record will show that.
(or: He’s been the opposite of vindicated, MAGA and QAnon-types aside)
Jones recently claimed that his most recent book sold more copies than the Harry Potter series. Considering how that franchise turned the author into a billionaire, Jones has nothing to worry about. Unless Jones is lying, that is.
Re: HidariMak @ #18…
Was Jones mouth moving? If so, he was lying.
@ 18 HidariMak
Only if there’s a Hollywood movie series and merchandising. Also, whaddaya mean “unless”? X-D
@19 and 20…
It would be interesting to see a list of Jones’ failed prophecies. Such as, how many times FEMA death camps were set up to exterminate large sections of Jones supporters, or how many times all guns were seized across the United States. Covid-19 was supposed to wipe out well over 90% of the human race, and then the vaccines were going to kill anyone who got vaccinated within anywhere from weeks to 1 or 2 years. There have also been multiple times when the elimination of all human rights were imminent. Marj Greene made several appearances on his show, and Jones suggested that her running for President would save America. Someone stick a fork in him, because he’s done.
The scumbag should be in jail. He repeatedly told vile lies about people already suffering dreadful grief and trauma, knowing full well that his followers would persecute them, and might well go as far as murder. Does US law provide no remedy beyond endless civil proceedings which we know will not shut him down?
@22 KG
I’m afraid not. The closest criminal charge they could try is incitement to riot. While that was definitely one of his goals, there was no riot. It’s like trying to convict all these Second Civil War assholes with something. They can rant and rave and scream their faces off but there’s nothing they can get slapped with until they DO something. As the Oath Keepers and the rest of the Jan. 6th rioters have recently found out.
Thing is, either he genuinely goes bankrupt or the lawyers and accountants will be going after his assets. It’s indirect, but it’s inexorable.
Every dollar Jones’ supporters pay to help him with this debt is a dollar that’s not going to Republican election campaigns. The donor pools are almost identical … I really hope that they send every dollar they have to keep Jones solvent. It may not feel like justice was served, but it will be better for our country in the long run.
Scott Simmons @ 25
Maybe we should crowdsource pro-Alwx Jones ads in states where the Republican candidates are vulnerable?
Suggested argument: ‘The big cheese in the Republican party are taken care of by their Big Business sugar daddies but a true patriot like Alex Jones can only rely on donations from patriotic citizens like you’.
BWAHAHAHAHAHA.
Rudi Giuliani, Mypillow Guy and Sydney Powell, this is a glimpse into your future and your legacy. Falling from great heights is bad, but you were already pretty low and you jumped.
Speaking of asses getting kicked, just saw a NYT story that the Jan. 6 committee has voted to subpoena Trump.
(Partial cross-post from the Infinite Thread)
Wife and I are both predicting that Trump will lose his shit. And probably claim that the committee has no right to call a President, or former President (though he won’t admit the ‘former’ part), that this is unprecedented (even though they gave precedent in the hearing), that this is a witch hunt (no, just trying to find out what the fifth amendment claims were hiding). I want to see him, on TV, being grilled by the committee. Won’t happen, but I want to see it.
Oggie @ #29 — I’m sure he will. He’ll probably loose his shit again with this: Supreme Court rejects Trump request on Mar-a-Lago documents. All in one day.
Is orange goblin shite, losing thereof, the same as ketchup, throwing thereof?
Get every last penny! Make him dig through his tattered seat cushions for every last crusty, green, cent, and THEN bill him for the disinfectant treatment they’ll have to use along with the hazmat suits!
Let us be rid of that villainous scum and wash off the vile stench from that excuse of a man!
Hugs,
John J
@32 hear, hear!