Infowars host Alex Jones was yesterday ordered by a Connecticut judge to pay $965million to the families of some of those killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting.
The award exceeded the $550milion requested by the families and an FBI agent who responded to the attack.
Since 2012, Jones repeatedly supported the unfounded, baseless conspiracy theory that the mass shooting was a hoax. Before yesterday’s ruling, Jones had already been ordered to pay other Sandy Hook relatives $49million at a separate trial in Texas in August.
Twenty children and six adults died at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Their grief-stricken families say that Jones’s misinformation led to years of harassment and death threats.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Jones’s lawyers say they are looking to appeal against the ruling.
Jones now says he believes the Sandy Hook massacre was “100% real”. However, among the few to jump to his defense was Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
For Greene and others at the MAGA end of the Republican party, it’s a question of free speech, seemingly without consequence.
“No matter what you think of Alex Jones all he did was speak words,” tweeted Greene. “He was not the one who pulled the trigger. Were his words wrong and did he apologize? Yes.
“That’s what freedom of speech is. Freedom to speak words.
“Political persecution must end,” she said.
No matter what you think of Alex Jones all he did was speak words.
He was not the one who pulled the trigger.
Were his words wrong and did he apologize? Yes.
That’s what freedom of speech is. Freedom to speak words.
Political persecution must end.https://t.co/3X81xOCS9j
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 12, 2022
Related: Marjorie Taylor Greene just took stupid to a new low and the jokes write themselves
Greene’s views on freedom of speech questioned
Greene’s tweet had over 21k replies at the time of writing. Most questioned the lawmaker’s notion of free speech.
You are free to say anything you want but that does not mean you won’t be held accountable for the harm they cause others.. you might want to consider that.
— southern liberal. ROLL TIDE ROLL! (@AHwants2no) October 12, 2022
Are you familiar with the concept of defamation?
If someone published a false story about you sexually molesting children you lured to your home with candy, I’m guessing you’d be taking a different position.
— Michael J. Stern (@MichaelJStern1) October 13, 2022
“That’s what freedom of speech is. Freedom to speak words.”
Just because you are free to speak words that are vicious lies that foreseeably inflict deep pain on other people doesn’t mean you are free from the consequences.
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) October 12, 2022
You can’t run into a crowded theater and yell “fire!”, Marjorie.
Astonishing that this has to be explained to you.
— Ghoultar (@Voultar) October 12, 2022
Others reminded her of the time she harassed survivors of the Parkland school shooting.
The school shooting survivor stalker has entered the chat pic.twitter.com/vEogLjoqBo
— (@antifaoperative) October 12, 2022
Or just about her hypocrisy.
“That’s what freedom of speech is. Freedom to speak words.”
Hey, Marge, this you?https://t.co/BOJJHWfaCy
— Melissa (@Proudmimi12) October 12, 2022
Even you don’t believe what you don’t believe that pic.twitter.com/kUnDvGr2Dy
— Taliesin & Evitel (@TaliesinEvitel) October 12, 2022
Based on your definition, the person who called in a fake disturbance at your house was just exercising their freedom of speech and there should be no consequences.
— JM ☮️ (@JLinMiller) October 12, 2022
Some just wanted to tell her to take a good, long, hard look at herself.
You’re so bad at being human.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) October 13, 2022
He didn’t speak just words he spoke just lies. Hurtful lies. I have lost 2 children and this was the worst thing you could do to a grieving parent. That’s all you all do is lie. By you speaking out for him just shows the kind of person you are. Put yourself in those parents shoes
— Valerie (@valeriemerie2) October 12, 2022
Related: Pete Buttigieg reacts to Marjorie Taylor Greene accusing him of “emasculating” cars
Mister P
Jones is a mean jerk not some kind of free speech hero. He repeatedly told lies for money and now he is going to suffer the consequences for being a butt hole.
CNY1983
i will celebrate the day that shithead is GONE from anyone listening to any of the diarrhea coming out of her ugly mouth.
Invader7
She gets dumber & more stupid each passing day… NeoNazi Barbie is disliked by people in her district !!
inbama
She is one of the worst pieces of rotten trash ever to disgrace the halls of Congress.
Jim
They don’t call them deplorables for nothing
johncp56
Crack whores unite wow if I knew you could lie cheat steal and make tons of money, I may have gone that way years ago and keep getting paid, wow GOV jobs are easy, you can be a huge criminal and do as you like
Mr. Stadnick
“That’s what freedom of speech is. Freedom to speak words.” This what you claim freedom of speech to be so I can say Marjorie Taylor Greene has had an abortion and has slept with women. Anyone can say anything. Marjorie Taylor Greene spends time with drag queens it is free speech by your standard. Truth doesn’t matter or apply?
DBMC
The dumb defending the dumber.
Kangol2
Except that she and so many in the GQP don’t believe in “free speech” and ban teachers discussion the country’s true history or teachers telling the truth if they’re LGBTQ etc. They are so full of it they on the verge of exploding, again!
scotty
the speech is free; the lies you have to pay for.
Georgeiv2
OK Lets speak words about her I mean him ! I could be wrong but I think that MTG is actually a transgender man What woman has such a pronounced Adam’s Apple ? You only have to look at her/him is this why her “gay” (again my opinion) husband is leaving her ? As I say I could be wrong but just let the facts speak for themselves !
scotty
brittany greiner has a wicked adams apple too
seven5tx
I heard that Marjorie Taylor Green is a trans-woman. Did it for the bonus hole. She love oxy and being peed on. She drinks babies blood while worshiping satan in a forest. Hey they are just words right?
johncp56
Compare how many dems are as near as hateful and unfactual as MTG and Boobert are we f!@#$%^king pay these hateful ass hats