Elon Musk/X To Pay Legal Fees For Student Punished For Free Speech

In August, Elon Musk vowed to pay the legal fees of anyone "unfairly treated by employer due to posting or liking something on this platform," in reference to X.

He appears to be holding up that promise.

Musk has employed lawyers to defend a University of Illinois student who is facing disciplinary action from the university over posts he made on X.

According to a letter obtained by the Financial Times, "Juan David Campolargo was accused in early November of violating the school’s student code of conduct after he posted on X promoting an event as an open gathering with free food, when it was a closed conference."

Campolargo is at risk of being placed on conduct probation and being kicked out of campus housing as a result of the disciplinary action, per the letter. 

Musk commented on the story Thursday, saying he "will do whatever it takes to support your right to free speech."

On Nov. 14, lawyers at Schaerr Jaffe notified the university in a letter -- signed “with the support of X Corp” —  that if it did not “reverse the preliminary finding” against the student, it would “result in a violation of his rights.” 

The letter added that "Should the University uphold and punish Mr Campolargo for his September 30, 2023 posts, Mr Campolargo would have a claim against the University for violation of his First Amendment rights.” 

This is the first known example of X paying legal fees to support a users' free speech rights.

But hopefully, it won't be the last.

OutKick has covered several stories over the past four years of colleges and employers punishing subjects over speech.

Perhaps former ESPN employee Sage Steele's lawsuit against Disney was the most notable example. And though Steele did not need X to pay for her legal fees, there are many Americans who would.

Elon Musk's first year as owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, has been rocky. I reviewed his first 12 months here.

Yet despite the concerns over functionality and a rocky rollout of the new homepage (no one likes the "For You" tab) -- Musk allows users to speak freely without the threat of suppression or demonetization.

Again, as promised.

X is one of the only platforms on the internet on which users can challenge societal norms, be it on the topic of the COVID vaccine, transgenderism or race in America.

Big Tech hindered our right to free speech during the 2020 election and that helped Joe Biden get elected, in return. Twitter was complicit in that effort.

X won't be in 2024.

Between that and paying the legal views of those punished for their speech, our hats go off to Elon Musk.