A 2016 federal court filing highlights the long and controversial legal history of Jonathan Lee Riches, also known as JLR Investigates, who has more recently built an online following aligned with MAGA audiences.
In Riches v. Trump, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Riches sought an emergency injunction to block Donald Trump from running for president. The court quickly dismissed the case, noting Riches failed to pay filing fees or qualify for in forma pauperis status.
More significantly, the court pointed to Riches’ extensive litigation history, stating he has filed thousands of lawsuits nationwide, many of which were dismissed as frivolous or malicious. The judge ultimately ruled the complaint was “another in the series of unquestionably frivolous civil actions” and ordered the case closed in April 2016.
The filing underscores a documented pattern of legal behavior that contrasts sharply with Riches’ current online persona, where he presents himself as a MAGA political advocate.
But court records do not campaign, and filings do not forget. Long before hashtags and livestreams, there was a paper trail, one stamped, signed, and dismissed in courtrooms across the country. Whether viewed as spectacle, strategy, or something in between, the record remains unchanged.
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