Judge who owns Tesla stock greenlights X lawsuit against critics

A Texas judge, Reed O’Connor, has allowed a lawsuit from Elon Musk's platform X (formerly Twitter) against Media Matters For America (MMFA) to proceed. The lawsuit claims that MMFA should be held liable for negative reporting that allegedly led advertisers, including Oracle and AT&T, to withdraw their ads from X. O’Connor dismissed objections regarding the lawsuit's jurisdiction, stating that MMFA's targeting of Texas-based advertisers justified the case being heard in Texas. The lawsuit does not claim that MMFA made false statements but argues that the organization misused the platform to highlight negative content associated with advertisers. Critics argue that this lawsuit represents an attempt to stifle criticism and could set a concerning precedent for free speech. O’Connor, who has a financial interest in Tesla, has previously recused himself from a related case involving Musk and advertisers. The ruling has been seen as a victory for Musk, who has faced criticism for his approach to free speech and legal tactics. Meanwhile, MMFA has experienced layoffs in response to the ongoing legal challenges.

- Judge Reed O’Connor allows X's lawsuit against Media Matters to proceed.

- The lawsuit claims MMFA's reporting led to advertisers pulling ads from X.

- Critics argue the lawsuit aims to suppress criticism and could threaten free speech.

- O’Connor has a financial interest in Tesla, raising concerns about impartiality.

- MMFA has faced layoffs due to the legal challenges it is currently facing.