Texas AG opens investigation into media fraud

Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas announced a fraud investigation into Media Matters for America on Monday night.

Paxton launched the investigation into the nonprofit left-wing media organization after it published a report Thursday claiming that ads from major companies regularly appeared next to neo-Nazi and white supremacist posts, according to a release. Apple, Disney, IBM and Paramount were among the companies that paused advertising after the publication of the report. (RELATED: Elon Musk’s X Sues Media Matters)

Journalist Michael Shellenberger, who previously covered Twitter files discussing censorship on the social media site, reported Monday afternoon mail which could not replicate what Media Matters claimed to have observed on Twitter.

“Attorney General Paxton was extremely concerned about allegations that Media Matters, a radical anti-free speech organization, fraudulently manipulated data on X.com (formerly known as Twitter),” the statement said.

Elon Musk, who bought Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, said at the time that he was looking to create a “common digital plaza” on the site. according to the Wall Street Journal, reacted to Paxton’s announcement with a mail in the place.

Fraud has both civil and criminal penalties. pic.twitter.com/BdC5Zfr1XM

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 21, 2023

“Fraud has both civil and criminal penalties,” Musk said, with an image of the statement attached to the post.

x defendant Media Matters in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas on Monday.

“We are examining the issue closely to ensure that the public has not been misled by the plans of radical left-wing organizations who would like nothing more than to limit freedom by reducing participation in the public square,” Paxton said in the statement.

Media Matters did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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