It's been a bad week for Infowars founder and conservative radio conspiracy maven Alex Jones.
Following the tragic 2012 mass school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 children and six staff members dead, Jones promoted the idea that the massacre was a hoax, "false flag" operation orchestrated by the U.S. government as an attack on the Second Amendment.
Many of his listeners apparently bought the unfounded allegation. So much so they harassed the parents of some of the slain children, accusing them of lying and being part of the government "conspiracy." Made their life "hell" as one parent described it.
The parents of a 6-year-old slain at Sandy Hook sued Jones for defamation. In court, Jones finally admitted the Sandy Hook mass murder was not some government conspiracy, but insisted he was not responsible for actions by his followers. A jury disagreed and this week ordered Jones to $4.1 in compensatory damages and $45.2 million in punitive damages.
The fact is Alex Jones may never pay all or even any of the judgement. Texas has a limit on punitive damages. His lawyers can keep appeals tied up in court for years. And there is always personal bankruptcy. His company had already filed for bankruptcy the week before.
But the money isn't really the point. It's that the truth about Jones has been exposed to the world. He is someone who played his listeners like suckers. Who used outrageous conspiracy theories and lies, without concern or compassion for those who might get hurt, in order to inflame his followers and build his own media empire.
The big question, though, is will that matter? Or will Jones' true believers continue to buy into his act? We hope not. But even if this spells the end of Jones' influence, there are plenty of others out there doing the same thing. And plenty of true believers to go around.