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Examining Claims About The Onion's "Deal with the Judge" to Buy InfoWars

The claim that The Onion has a "deal with the judge" to buy InfoWars is a misleading characterization of what is actually a standard legal process. Here's what's actually happening:

Current Situation (As of April 20, 2026)

The Onion has announced a new licensing agreement to take over InfoWars [^1]. Under this proposed deal:

• Global Tetrahedron (The Onion's parent company) would lease InfoWars for $81,000 per month for six months, with an option to renew for another six months [^2]
• The Onion will pay a monthly licensing fee to the court-appointed receiver overseeing InfoWars (not directly to a judge) [^1]
• The company has also signed a deal to purchase the full assets once the current judicial stay expires [^1]
• A hearing on the licensing agreement is set for April 30, 2026 in Travis County, Texas [^1]
• The deal must be approved by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, the Texas judge who oversaw one of the defamation lawsuits against Jones [^2]

Why "Deal with the Judge" Is Misleading

This framing conflates two different things:

1. Negotiating with court administrators/receivers (which is what The Onion is doing)
2. Having a special arrangement with a judge (which would be improper)

The Onion is working through proper legal channels with court-appointed administrators. Judicial approval of such deals is a standard part of bankruptcy and receivership proceedings, not evidence of collusion.

Timeline of EventsDateEventNov 2024The Onion won initial bankruptcy auction with $1.75M cash bid (valued at $7M with Sandy Hook families' concessions) [^6][^8]Nov 2024Alex Jones and affiliated company FUAC alleged "fraud and collusion," calling the auction "rigged" [^4][^10][^12]Dec 2024Judge Lopez REJECTED The Onion's bid — citing lack of transparency, uneven playing field, and failure to maximize value for creditors [^3][^5]Dec 2024Jones claimed vindication: "Finally, a judge followed the law" [^7]Aug 2025Texas state judge appointed receiver to sell InfoWarsApr 2026The Onion announces new licensing deal, awaiting court approvalThe Collusion Allegations

Alex Jones and the losing bidder (First United American Companies) made several allegations [^9][^11]:

• Claimed the auction was "rigged" and involved "illegal collusion"
• Alleged the trustee improperly canceled live bidding
• Filed a countersuit against the trustee, Global Tetrahedron, and Sandy Hook families

However:

• The trustee and The Onion denied all allegations [^4]
• The trustee accused Jones of launching a "smear campaign" because he didn't like the outcome [^4]
• When Judge Lopez rejected the sale in December 2024, it was due to procedural concerns and value issues — not because he found evidence of collusion [^3]

Bottom Line

The claim of a "deal with the judge" misrepresents standard legal proceedings. The Onion is negotiating with court-appointed administrators through proper channels, and any agreement requires judicial approval — which is normal procedure, not evidence of impropriety. The original sale was rejected by a judge who found the process flawed, not because of proven collusion. The current deal still awaits approval at an April 30 hearing.

[^1]: The Onion reaches new deal to take over Alex Jones’ Infowars | CNN Business (26%) [^2]: The Onion plans to lease Alex Jones’s Infowars after judge blocks ... (19%) [^3]: Judge rejects The Onion's bid for Infowars : NPR (13%) [^4]: The Onion's bid for Alex Jones' Infowars hangs in the balance as... (11%) [^5]: The Onion’s Bid to Buy Infowars Is Rejected in Court – Mother Jones (6%) [^6]: US judge rejects The Onion’s purchase of Alex Jones’s Infowars (5%) [^7]: Infowars Sale to The Onion Rejected by Federal Bankruptcy Judge... (5%) [^8]: The Onion has won the bid for Infowars’ assets | CNN Business (4%) [^9]: Onion Bid for Alex Jones' Infowars on Hold Pending New Court... (3%) [^10]: New hearing ordered on The Onion's bid for Alex Jones' Infowars (3%) [^11]: Judge rejects sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion - POLITICO (3%) [^12]: Was the Infowars auction fair? Hearing is set for December : NPR (2%)