Texas AG Ken Paxton launches investigation into Media Matters over ‘potential fraudulent activity’
'We are examining the issue closely to ensure that the public has not been deceived by the schemes of radical left-wing organizations who would like nothing more than to limit freedom by reducing participation in the public square,' the statement said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated an inquiry into Media Matters for alleged "potential fraudulent activity." This action follows Elon Musk's claim that the organization manipulated data on X. Musk, facing a mass exodus of advertisers from the platform, previously known as Twitter, vowed a "thermonuclear lawsuit" against Media Matters.
A recent Media Matters report accused the platform of allowing ads to appear alongside "white nationalist hashtags," a claim Musk disputes as a gross misrepresentation, stating that it "completely misrepresented the real user experience," to mislead advertisers, Fox News reports.
Elon Musk has initiated a "thermonuclear lawsuit" against Media Matters, claiming the group falsely reported that major brands' ads on his social media platform appeared alongside anti-Semitic content.https://t.co/Mib8Gse12Y
— Rebel News USA (@RebelNews_USA) November 21, 2023
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also expressed interest in investigating these allegations after being "extremely troubled" by them.
In a statement, Paxton's office emphasized their commitment to enforcing laws against deceptive practices by nonprofits in Texas.
"We are examining the issue closely to ensure that the public has not been deceived by the schemes of radical left-wing organizations who would like nothing more than to limit freedom by reducing participation in the public square," the statement said.
Fraud has both civil & criminal penalties pic.twitter.com/BdC5Zfr1XM
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 21, 2023
"Under the Texas Business Organizations Code and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the OAG will vigorously enforce against nonprofits who commit fraudulent acts in or affecting the state of Texas," said the Texas Attorney General’s office.
The situation escalated after Musk faced criticism for a post perceived as antisemitic, though he clarified his stance against any genocidal content on the platform.
"At risk of stating the obvious, anyone advocating the genocide of any group will be suspended from this platform," Musk wrote in a post on X. "As I said earlier this week, ‘decolonization’, ‘from the river to the sea’ and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide. Clear calls for extreme violence are against our terms of service and will result in suspension," Musk wrote.
The controversy has reignited concerns about advertiser support for the platform, recalling a similar situation last year when Musk's commitment to free speech led to an advertiser withdrawal. Musk is now focused on revealing the truth behind the Media Matters report. Media Matters has yet to comment on the matter.
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