DOJ Seeks Stay in Social Media Injunction, Asks for Ruling by Midday Monday

DOJ seeks a ruling by noon CDT Monday for U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty for Western Louisiana in Monroe to stay the preliminary injunction he ordered July 4 to bar most of the nearly 70 Biden administration defendants in the case brought by the Republican attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri from communicating with social media platforms about content moderation, said DOJ’s motion Thursday (docket 3:22-cv-01213).

The motion asks the court to stay the injunction pending appeal. If Doughty denies the instant motion, it said DOJ seeks an administrative stay for seven days to allow time for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to consider a motion to stay and request for administrative stay. The Republican AGs oppose both forms of requested relief, it said. Their lawsuit alleges Biden administration officials coerced and collaborated with social media companies to control the public narrative about COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates and results from the 2020 election.