One of the more unsettling developments of Donald Trump’s second term involves the number of investigations that have been launched against Democrats and organizations affiliated with progressive politics. That includes Media Matters, a media watchdog organization that found itself facing a Federal Trade Commission probe a year ago this month.
Media Matters soon after fought back by suing the FTC, saying the agency was waging a politically motivated “campaign of retribution” as part of a broader effort to “attempt to silence and harass an organization for daring to speak the truth.”
The pushback appears to have worked quite well. The New York Times reported:
[T]he Federal Trade Commission agreed to withdraw a subpoena it had sent to the liberal watchdog group Media Matters, the nonprofit said on Monday. The subpoena was part of an F.T.C. investigation that began after Mr. Musk accused Media Matters of trying to damage X’s relationship with advertisers.
Those claims about Republican megadonor Elon Musk have long been at the heart of the matter. Indeed, the billionaire first sued the progressive media watchdog a few years ago, raising related allegations and accusing Media Matters of playing a role in advertisers steering clear of the Musk-owned social media platform.
It was against this backdrop that the Trump administration not only launched an investigation into the group — the FTC said in writing last year that it was exploring whether the organization “illegally colluded with advertisers” — but also asked Media Matters to turn over all the documents related to Musk’s litigation.
It now appears, however, that the entire endeavor has collapsed. In a press release about the latest developments, Media Matters noted that the FTC approved a settlement agreement in which the agency conceded, in writing, that the progressive group was no longer the target of any federal investigation.
“Our victory shows the importance of holding power to account and the importance of fighting instead of folding,” Angelo Carusone, Media Matters’ president, said in a written statement. “This extends well beyond Media Matters, though. Washington Litigation Group’s excellent lawyering helped to secure this victory and establish precedent that will protect others targeted with retaliatory investigations in nakedly unlawful ways.”
For its part, the FTC has not publicly commented on the settlement.
Nevertheless, Carusone’s broader point about “the importance of fighting instead of folding” resonates for a reason. The only way to lose a fight against Trump is to pursue a course rooted in appeasement.
It’s true when it comes to news organizations, it’s true when it comes to law firms, it’s true when it comes to higher education and it’s true when it comes to those in positions of authority who stand their ground in the face of presidential bullying and corrupt attempts at intimidation.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.
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