Progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America is celebrating a legal victory. They recently announced that a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton had attempted to investigate the group after it reported on white nationalist content that was present on X, formerly known as Twitter.
According to Angelo Carusone, the President and CEO of Media Matters, the recent news is being hailed as a “victory for free speech.”
Carusone celebrated the defeat of Ken Paxton, one of the Republican state attorneys general who he claims acted upon Elon Musk’s encouragement to harass their critics and suppress reporting about X. Carusone sees this outcome as a triumph for free speech.
Last November, when Media Matters released its report, X filed a lawsuit against the watchdog group, following in the footsteps of Paxton. In response, Media Matters countered by suing Paxton, alleging that their First Amendment rights were being violated, which hindered their ability to carry out their work effectively. They argued that Paxton’s lawsuit was nothing more than an unfounded and capricious government investigation in a state where they had no relevant ties.
In a ruling by Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, he acknowledged that the group’s coverage of public matters falls under the protection of the First Amendment. He further noted that Paxton’s remarks regarding Media Matters demonstrated a clear intention of retaliation. Consequently, Paxton is now prohibited from accessing Media Matters’ internal documents, as per his request.
Paxton, who recently struck a deal to avoid facing charges of securities fraud, has not yet made a public statement in response to the ruling on Friday.
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