Guest Editorial: At long last, Alex Jones is held to account

A Connecticut court’s ruling means that Alex Jones has lost all four defamation cases brought against him by families of children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre.|

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and don’t necessarily reflect The Press Democrat editorial board’s perspective. The opinion and news sections operate separately and independently of one another.

This editorial is from the New York Daily News:

In our dispiriting time of widespread, never-ending and hyper-charged disinformation and conspiracy theorizing — which has driven millions of Americans to reject the lifesaving COVID vaccine or accept falsehoods about stolen elections — it is very rare for peddlers of harmful fabrications to see a shred of justice.

That’s what makes it extra sweet to see ghoul Alex Jones, a proud pioneer of lies who has spent decades slinging wild accusations to millions for financial profit and political gain, to finally be held to account for the hateful and harmful garbage he spews. A Connecticut court’s ruling this week means that the conspiracist has now lost all four defamation cases brought against him by family members of children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, where a gunman with an assault rifle massacred 20 first graders and six adults.

With the horrifying crime scene still fresh and the nation reeling over an unspeakable atrocity, the detestable radio host launched into ludicrous rants claiming that the shooting had been staged and the people involved were “crisis actors” — phony claims that led to his gullible supporters hounding grieving parents in the vilest terms imaginable. When it became clear that legal consequences were possible, Jones tried to walk his comments back, but it was too late.

Ever the contrarian, he still refused to turn over documents related to the suit, causing his loss by default. Even better. He won’t get to use the courts as a stage to continue the sideshow and cause these families more pain. After years of spouting sewage without significant repercussions, even being rewarded for it with fame and the support of Donald Trump, Jones will get hit in the only place he seems to truly care about: his wallet.

The final amount that Jones will have to pay will be decided next year by juries of his peers, if there are such people. As to the dollar number, we hope it’s, as he might say, outrageous.

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The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and don’t necessarily reflect The Press Democrat editorial board’s perspective. The opinion and news sections operate separately and independently of one another.

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