Thread by @America1stLegal

/1🚨 VICTORY 🚨

A federal court has denied the Stanford Internet Observatory, Atlantic Council, and Aspen Institute’s attempt to dismiss AFL’s class action lawsuit for conspiring with the U.S. government to conduct targeted surveillance and censor conservative political speech.

/2 On May 2, 2023, AFL filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Jill Hines, co-director of Health Freedom Louisiana, and Jim Hoft, founder of The Gateway Pundit, against entities associated with the so-called “Election Integrity Partnership” and the “Virality Project.”

https://twitter.com/america1stlegal/status/1653432092217229312

/3 The lawsuit alleges that these academic institutions, nonprofits, and researchers conspired with the federal government to surveil and censor conservative political speech regarding COVID-19 and elections on social media platforms.

https://twitter.com/america1stlegal/status/1653432111758450688

/4 Amid AFL’s lawsuit and @Jim_Jordan’s investigation as Chairman of the Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, the Stanford Internet Observatory was shut down in June 2024, and the Election Integrity Partnership did not operate during the 2024 election cycle.

/5 The defendants moved to dismiss the case on the grounds that the court lacked personal jurisdiction over them. In other words, the defendants argued that the plaintiffs failed to allege sufficient facts showing that the defendants have enough of a connection to Louisiana for the court to exercise jurisdiction.

@Jim_Jordan /6 This week, the court denied the defendants’ motions to dismiss the case, affirming that AFL’s allegations are substantial and warrant further examination. AFL can now engage in discovery into the defendants’ actions targeting Louisiana and its residents.

@Jim_Jordan /7 AFL’s clients allege substantial contact, including coordination with state officials, having Louisiana citizens censored on various social media platforms, and assigning analysts to track “disinformation” originating in the state.

/8 Defendants in this case include:

➡️ Stanford Internet Observatory

➡️ Stanford Internet Observatory Director Alex Stamos

➡️ Stanford Internet Observatory Research Manager Renée DiResta

➡️ Atlantic Research Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab

➡️ Aspen Institute

➡️ Dr. Kate Starbird of the University of Washington

➡️ Graphika

@Jim_Jordan /9 This ruling marks a critical step forward in our fight to deliver transparency and hold the entities and individuals who allegedly colluded with the federal government to censor Americans’ free speech accountable.