Missouri's Attorney General has taken action to prevent Media Matters from halting proceedings in a Missouri court. Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a motion on Wednesday, May 8, in response to a federal motion by Media Matters, a nonprofit organization, seeking to halt an investigation into fraudulent business practices.
In March, AG Bailey initiated legal action against Media Matters to compel the organization to provide documents relevant to the investigation. Litigation regarding this matter continues in state court.
Media Matters faced criticism following allegations of manipulating the algorithm on X (formerly known as Twitter). This manipulation allegedly led to advertisers' content being placed alongside controversial posts, resulting in significant financial losses for the social media platform as advertisers withdrew their content.
Media Matters has been vocal in criticizing the platform for its reluctance to censor unpopular viewpoints, a hesitation that highlights Musk’s proclaimed commitment to the First Amendment.
The investigation into Media Matters began in November 2023 following revelations of solicited donations, which directly contravened the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
Read the full motion in opposition here.
