CNN
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The Gateway Pundit, the infamous far-right weblog and prolific writer of conspiracy theories, mentioned Wednesday that it had filed for chapter safety because it grapples with litigation associated to its protection of the 2020 election.
The transfer comes because the staunchly pro-Donald Trump web site, which promoted the false notion that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden and his allies, faces a number of lawsuits over its bogus claims.
One in all the lawsuits, filed by two former Georgia election employees, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, accuses The Gateway Pundit of publishing tales that falsely accused them of election fraud, which the pair mentioned prompted a wave of harassment and threats of violence. The choose has rejected a number of makes an attempt to throw out the case, which is at present within the discovery part forward of a possible trial.
One other lawsuit, filed by a former Dominion Voting Programs govt, accuses the outlet of defamation. The Gateway Pundit denies wrongdoing in each instances.
Through the years, The Gateway Pundit has change into notorious for its publishing of hyper-partisan weblog posts, lots of which advance harmful lies and conspiracy theories. Founder Jim Hoft, a supporter of Trump and MAGA loyalist, has used the web site to advertise the Republican frontrunner, whereas disparaging his opponents.
In a Wednesday assertion, Hoft mentioned the outlet had filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety “because of the progressive liberal lawfare assaults” and was “not an admission of fault or culpability.” He described the transfer as a “frequent instrument for reorganization and to consolidate litigation when assaults are coming from all sides.”
“It permits [The Gateway Pundit] to consolidate this lawfare in a single court docket for final decision,” Hoft mentioned.
Hoft indicated that the web site would proceed publishing because the litigation performs out in court docket, proclaiming the outlet “won’t be deterred.”
In a submitting in federal chapter court docket, the outlet’s father or mother firm mentioned it at present has between $500,000 and $1 million in belongings — placing it on perilous footing if it had been to face a big damages award in a defamation trial.
The Gateway Pundit is considered one of a number of right-wing media retailers grappling with the fallout stemming from its promotion of 2020 election lies. Fox Information paid a document $787 million to settle a monster defamation lawsuit introduced by Dominion Voting Programs, an election know-how firm. And the right-wing community nonetheless faces an analogous lawsuit from Smartmatic, one other election firm.
In the meantime, the far-right channel One America Information just lately settled a lawsuit with Smartmatic. And the right-wing cable outlet Newsmax faces lawsuits from each Smartmatic and Dominion.