In a contentious turn of events surrounding Candace Owens and The Daily Wire, a proposed public debate between Owens and Ben Shapiro, which had garnered significant interest, has been stifled by behind-the-scenes legal maneuvers. As Glenn Greenwald …
In a contentious turn of events surrounding Candace Owens and The Daily Wire, a proposed public debate between Owens and Ben Shapiro, which had garnered significant interest, has been stifled by behind-the-scenes legal maneuvers. As Glenn Greenwald noted, Initially, Owens publicly challenged Shapiro to a debate on Israel and antisemitism, which was seemingly welcomed by Shapiro and The Daily Wire's CEO Jeremy Boreing, with arrangements for a live-streamed discussion on Shapiro’s show. However, disagreements over the format led to further negotiations, suggested to be moderated by figures like Joe Rogan or Lex Fridman, but ultimately settling on no moderator.
As anticipation built, the debate was inexplicably delayed, with Owens revealing that no dates had been proposed by The Daily Wire. Unbeknownst to their audience, The Daily Wire had secretly obtained a gag order against Owens, effectively silencing her from discussing not only the debate but also any criticisms of the company or Shapiro. This legal action was prompted by Owens’ initial debate request and subsequent tweets, which The Daily Wire argued violated the non-disparagement clause of her contract. They contended that her public call for debate and her responses to accusations of anti-Semitism from Daily Wire personnel were disparaging to the company and Shapiro.
This legal wrangling culminated in an arbitrator siding with The Daily Wire, enforcing a gag order that prohibits Owens from making any remarks that could harm the reputation of The Daily Wire or Shapiro. This order effectively bars the debate, contradicting the public persona of open discourse the company had projected. The situation highlights a stark discrepancy between The Daily Wire’s public and private actions, raising questions about freedom of speech and the genuine openness of the company to critical discussion and debate.
▶ Subscribe to my #LionelMedia exclusive subscriber channel for nonpareil and sui generis analysis and commentar..
