Latest News

Texas judge in claim by Musk's X against advertisers exits case

A federal judge in Texas appointed to hear a suit by Elon Musk's social networks platform X against a. group of marketers has actually removed himself from the case following. reports that he owned shares of another Musk business, Tesla .

U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas did. not provide a reason in his one-paragraph recusal filing on. Tuesday.

The lawsuit, submitted by X last week, implicated the World. Federation of Advertisers and others of conspiring to boycott. the platform, causing it to lose revenue. The federation has not. reacted in court and declined to talk about Tuesday.

O'Connor's office and spokespeople for X did not. instantly react to requests for comment.

NPR reported on Friday that O'Connor owned Tesla shares,. raising questions about whether he must manage lawsuits. involving Musk's business.

A judicial financial disclosure report for 2022, the most. current one offered, showed O'Connor owned $15,001 to $50,000. in Tesla stock. Judges in some cases step aside from cases when they. have a monetary interest in among the parties.

O'Connor is presiding over another lawsuit X filed in 2015. accusing media guard dog Media Matters of hindering X's. relationships with marketers. Media Matters has actually rejected any. wrongdoing.

Musk's case against the World Federation of Advertisers was. filed in the Northern District of Texas and assigned to. O'Connor, an appointee of Republican politician President George W. Bush. The district has become a favored location for conservatives. suing to block policies of the Democratic Biden administration.

Among O'Connor's colleagues, U.S. District Judge Ed. Kinkeade in Dallas, was designated on Tuesday to hear X's. marketing boycott case.

(source: Reuters)