Media Matters for America asked the federal district court in Washington, D.C., today to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the Federal Trade Commission’s retaliatory investigation into the organization from moving forward. In its filing, Media Matters documented ongoing, irreparable harm to its ability to exercise its First Amendment rights. A preliminary injunction would protect the organization while the court considers the lawsuit Media Matters filed against the FTC on June 23.

“The FTC’s unconstitutional and unlawful campaign of retaliation against Media Matters is another blaring alarm bell as Trump careens the country toward authoritarianism,” said Angelo Carusone, Chairman and President of Media Matters. “It’s clear that this FTC probe is designed not just to silence Media Matters, but also to send a message across the media and nonprofit sectors: Comply or you could be next.”

 In its motion, Media Matters documents how X owner Elon Musk and his allies on the right launched an unrelenting campaign of retaliation against the organization after it released a report documenting that mainstream advertisements were being displayed next to pro-Nazi content on X’s platform. After Musk promised to go “thermonuclear” on Media Matters, X sued the organization in the Northern District of Texas, Singapore, and Ireland. Republican attorneys general in both Texas and Missouri then launched their own investigations. The FTC is the latest government agency being weaponized in this campaign.

The U.S. District Court for D.C. has already issued injunctions blocking the investigations launched by the attorneys general of Missouri and Texas. After Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the decision enjoining his probe, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction, writing that “Media Matters is the target of a government campaign of retaliation.” Media Matters has now asked the court to follow suit here and enjoin the FTC’s investigation.

Media Matters’ motion outlines the ongoing harm the FTC’s investigation is causing to Media Matters’ ability to fulfill its mission and exercise its First Amendment rights, including by suppressing its ability to report both on the FTC and on the ongoing proliferation of pro-Nazi rhetoric on X. For example, when X’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok reemerged from reprogramming and deemed itself “MechaHitler” last week — posting antisemitic comments that mirrored some of the content that sparked X’s initial suit against Media Matters — Media Matters declined to report on the story for fear of further retribution.

The motion documents how the FTC has pursued its selective investigation into so-called “boycotts” of X while ignoring similar efforts by conservatives targeting companies such as Budweiser and Target. Those campaigns were even supported by Jon Schweppe, a senior adviser to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson. Before he was hired to his position at the FTC, Schweppe authored a report calling for conservatives to “boycott left-wing shows and platforms.” More than a year prior to joining the FTC, Schweppe publicly called Media Matters “scum of the earth” and he had previously proposed using antitrust litigation as “a political solution.” 

“The FTC’s retaliatory investigation against Media Matters is a fundamental threat to the First Amendment that if allowed to proceed would set a troubling precedent with ramifications far beyond this one case,” said Stephen Anthony of Covington & Burling, counsel for Media Matters. “We are confident in the merits of our case and look forward to pursuing it in court.”

Media Matters motion for a preliminary injunction is available here. The lawsuit the organization filed in June to block the FTC’s investigation is available here.