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38m ago

Federal Judge Keeps FTC's Media Matters Inquiry on Hold After Stay Denial

The judge said allowing the investigation to proceed would cause irreparable injury to an organization engaged in protected reporting.

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Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan rejected the Federal Trade Commission’s request to stay her preliminary injunction.
  • The ruling continues to block the FTC from enforcing its civil investigative demand on Media Matters for America.
  • The judge previously found the FTC was likely engaging in retaliatory conduct that implicates First Amendment protections.
  • The FTC sought a stay pending appeal, arguing the order impedes its probe into potential advertiser boycotts of X that could violate antitrust laws.
  • Media Matters’ 2023 reporting on extremist posts next to brand ads on X led to advertiser pullbacks and a lawsuit by Elon Musk, and the current FTC is composed solely of Republicans after Trump removed the two Democratic commissioners.