Texas Judge Greenlights X’s Defamation Lawsuit Against Media Matters—Battle Heats Up

Elon's X scores a legal win as Texas judge refuses to dismiss defamation case against Media Matters. The social platform alleges malicious intent in a high-stakes showdown over free speech and corporate accountability.

Subheader: Legal Fireworks in the Lone Star State

No numbers to crunch—just pure courtroom drama. X claims Media Matters deliberately misrepresented content to scare off advertisers. The defense? Likely another tired 'free press' argument while their lawyers cash checks.

Subheader: A Cynic’s Take

Another day, another billionaire using Texas courts as a playground. At least this circus funds the local economy—lawyers gotta buy those overpriced lattes somehow.

Media Matters stands by its work and denies wrongdoing

Media Matters asked to shift the case, arguing Texas was the wrong venue because neither party was located there when the complaint was filed and the alleged conduct had no Texas link. X, then based in San Francisco, moved its headquarters last year to Bastrop, Texas.

Around that time, the company also changed its terms of service to channel user disputes to the Northern District of Texas, a court where conservative litigants in political matters have often won.

Reuters reported O’Connor had earlier refused to send the lawsuit to California. In July, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals directed him to conduct a fuller review before ruling on venue. X told the court the transfer bid fit a “pattern of gamesmanship and delay” by Media Matters and urged the judge to keep the case in Texas. His latest order keeps the dispute in Fort Worth.

Media Matters hits back with lawsuit and fights FTC subpoena

The fight between the parties is also playing out elsewhere. In March, Media Matters filed its own suit against X in federal court in California, alleging the company is using baseless cases to run a “vendetta-driven campaign of libel tourism.”

In Washington, the group is contesting a U.S. Federal Trade Commission subpoena for its communications with other watchdogs that examine misinformation and hate speech in news and on social platforms. A judge quashed the subpoena, and the FTC has appealed.

On another front X was spared from the EU penalty for now according to a previous Cryptopolitan report.

In July, The European Commission paused one of its probes into whether the platform violated digital transparency obligations, and will miss the target it had set to finish the inquiry before its summer break. Three officials familiar with the file said a decision is now more likely after there is clarity from ongoing EU-U.S. trade talks.

EU tech officials stated last year that X breached the Digital Services Act’s content rules. Companies found to have violated the law can be fined up to 6% of worldwide turnover, and repeat offenses can lead to a suspension from operating in the EU.

An EU spokesperson said the proceedings remain active and told Reuters by email “The enforcement of our legislation is independent of the current ongoing negotiations.”

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