The Gateway Pundit, a notorious website that peddles falsehoods and conspiracy theories, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the face of multiple defamation lawsuits. These lawsuits accuse the website of spreading false claims about election fraud in the 2020 presidential election, leading to harassment and harm for election workers.
Amidst these legal challenges, the website’s owner, Jim Hoft, has blamed “progressive liberal lawfare attacks.” However, he has not admitted any wrongdoing. The company has declined to provide further comment. The Gateway Pundit is owned by brothers Jim and Joe Hoft and is currently facing a lawsuit from Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss. These workers were subjected to harassment as a result of the website’s false claims about election fraud. Protect Democracy, the nonprofit representing Freeman and Moss, has declined to comment on the bankruptcy announcement.
The Gateway Pundit has also settled a lawsuit with a former official at Dominion Voting Systems, a company that was targeted by election fraud conspiracy theories in 2020. Hoft claims that the bankruptcy is a way to consolidate lawsuits against the outlet. However, Mark Bankston, an attorney who represented families of slain Sandy Hook school students in a defamation suit against Alex Jones and his outlet Infowars, argues that Chapter 11 bankruptcies are meant to assist small businesses in restructuring, not to serve as a tool to avoid paying debts.
The Gateway Pundit’s parent company’s bankruptcy filing reveals liabilities between $100,001 and $500,000 and assets between $500,001 and $1 million. Notably, Jones also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after Sandy Hook families were awarded over $1 billion in damages against him in 2022. Due to the prolonged bankruptcy proceedings, the families are still awaiting compensation.
The election workers who sued The Gateway Pundit have also filed a lawsuit against former Trump campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani filed for bankruptcy in December after a $148 million judgment against him. Bankston expressed hope in the legal system’s ability to provide justice for plaintiffs, but acknowledged that bankruptcy proceedings can dampen those hopes. He emphasizes the need for time, resources, and lawyers willing to wait for payment to support these legal proceedings.
Despite delays, Bankston believes that the financial consequences of lawsuits for websites like Infowars and The Gateway Pundit are significant. He states that jurors are unforgiving when individuals spread lies and disrupt the lives of others, especially when those individuals hold positions of power.
The Gateway Pundit once enjoyed substantial online traffic through social media platforms like Facebook. However, like other outlets, its traffic has declined due to reduced news consumption and industry changes, including Facebook owner Meta deprioritizing news. Despite these challenges, The Gateway Pundit remains an influential website within certain circles.
