Judge Rules Musk’s X Can Pursue Lawsuit Against Media Matters in Texas

A US judge has ruled that Elon Musk’s social media company X can keep its lawsuit against advocacy group Media Matters in federal court in Texas. Chief US District Judge Reed O’Connor, based in Fort Worth, rejected arguments that the case should be transferred to California, saying he “does not find good cause” for a move.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accuses Washington, D.C.-based Media Matters of harming X’s reputation with a report alleging that advertisements from major brands appeared alongside extremist content on the platform. Media Matters has stood by its reporting and denied any wrongdoing.

Dispute Over Proper Venue

Media Matters argued that the case did not belong in Texas, since neither party was based there when the lawsuit was filed and the claims lacked direct ties to the state.

X, formerly based in San Francisco, relocated its headquarters to Bastrop, Texas, last year. The company also updated its terms of service to direct legal disputes to the Northern District of Texas, a venue where conservative litigants have often found favourable rulings.

X told the court that Media Matters’ attempt to move the case was part of a “pattern of gamesmanship and delay.”

Broader Legal Battle Between X and Media Matters

This ruling follows a July decision by the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which ordered Judge O’Connor to conduct a more detailed review of the venue dispute.

Meanwhile, Media Matters has separately sued X in California, accusing the company of filing meritless lawsuits as part of what it called a “vendetta-driven campaign of libel tourism.”

In Washington, the nonprofit is also fighting a subpoena from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeking communications with other watchdogs monitoring misinformation and hate speech. A judge previously blocked the subpoena, but the FTC has appealed.

Neither X nor Media Matters immediately responded to requests for comment on the Texas ruling.

with inputs from Reuters