On Friday, July 18, 2025, Law.com reported that U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr declined to recuse himself from a lawsuit filed against X Corp. and President Donald J. Trump.
The case, brought by Navy veteran Thomas Richards in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, seeks $750 million in damages, alleging that X Corp. censored Richards’ posts about alleged Catholic Church corruption due to his religious beliefs.
Starr, appointed to the federal bench by President Trump, faced a recusal motion from Richards, who argued that the judge’s ties to Trump and prior role at the Texas Attorney General’s Office created conflicts of interest. Richards claimed that Trump’s relationship with X Corp. owner Elon Musk further compromised Starr’s impartiality. The judge rejected these arguments, denying the motion and finding no basis for structural or procedural conflicts.
The lawsuit, filed in April 2025, centers on Richards’ claims that X Corp. violated his First Amendment rights, breached its terms of service, and engaged in religious discrimination. Richards, a father of 11 and self-described descendant of a Jamestown founder, alleges that X Corp. suppressed over 60,000 of his posts, reducing their visibility without notice. He further claims his posts, critical of the Vatican’s handling of child abuse allegations, saw engagement drop from thousands of views to fewer than 10.
Richards seeks restoration of his deleted posts and equal promotion as a Premium Plus subscriber, citing causes including promissory estoppel, breach of contract, and violations of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Starr, who continues to preside over the case, has not commented publicly on the recusal motion beyond his ruling.
The litigation, which raises questions about free speech and content moderation on social media platforms, remains pending in the Northern District of Texas.
Source: Law.com
