Monty Python Threatens To Sue NJ GOP Gov Candidate for Copyright Infringement
Ray
Chris Christie, the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey in
Tuesday's knife-edge gubernatorial election, has been called out as a
copyright thief. The 47-year-old lawyer, who was controversially
appointed by George W. Bush as a U.S. Attorney in 2001 on Karl Rove's
recommendation after being a top Bush fund-raiser in the 2000
election, has created an election commercial that steals copyright-
protected material from British comedy troupe Monty Python -- without
permission or credit.
The official campaign advert -- titled "Deja Vu" -- attacks incumbent
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine by using scenes from a famous skit on
the "Monty Python's Flying Circus" TV show that features Michael
Palin. The ad is on Christie's official YouTube campaign site, and has
already aired on national TV.
But neither Christie -- a lawyer for 22 years -- nor anyone in his
campaign bothered to seek any permission for using the copyrighted
material in his election spot.
Alerted to the theft of their copyright, members of Monty Python are
most unhappy. Michael Palin, who appears in the clip pirated for the
advert, is especially displeased that his likeness is being used by
the Republican candidate without permission.
"I'm surprised that a former U.S. Attorney isn't aware of his
copyright infringement when he uses our material without permission.
He's clearly made a terrible mistake. It was the endorsement of Sarah
Palin he was after -- not that of Michael Palin."
Monty Python's Terry Jones says that the troupe is strongly
considering suing the Republican for his copyright infringement:
"It is totally outrageous that a former US Attorney knows so little
about the law that he thinks he can rip off people. On the other hand
-- another of Bush's legal appointees was Alberto Gonzales and he
didn't seem to know much about the law either...," Jones said.
There is a long history of Republican politicians stealing content by
entertainers for their political advertisements and rallies. Three
months ago, Jackson Browne won a financial settlement and apology from
Senator John McCain for the politician's unauthorized use of his song
"Running On Empty" in the 2008 election. Other musicians who have
successfully protested the theft of their music by Republicans include
Jon Bon Jovi, Don Henley, John Mellencamp and rock bands Foo Fighters
and Heart.
Christie is no stranger to the world of crime. As the New York Times
reported on September 23rd this year, Christie has family ties to the
notorious Genovese crime family. As a child, he mingled at family
parties with Tino "The Greek" Fiumara -- the brother of his aunt's
husband -- described by the Times as "a fearsome and ranking member of
the Genovese crime family: twice convicted of racketeering, sentenced
to 25 years in federal prison, and linked by investigators to several
grisly murders, including one in which a victim was strangled with
piano wire." ...
Asked in 2007 about the presence of organized crime in his home state
-- such as the Genovese mob in which one of his family members is so
prominent -- Christie said: "the Mafia is much more prominent on HBO
than in New Jersey."
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Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/chris-christie-rips-off-m_b_341598.html
DGDevin
> There is a long history of Republican politicians stealing content by
> entertainers for their political advertisements and rallies. Three
> months ago, Jackson Browne won a financial settlement and apology from
> Senator John McCain for the politician's unauthorized use of his song
> "Running On Empty" in the 2008 election. Other musicians who have
> successfully protested the theft of their music by Republicans include
> Jon Bon Jovi, Don Henley, John Mellencamp and rock bands Foo Fighters
> and Heart.
There is a problem with part of this (the rest is funny as hell). So long
as the GOP has a performance license from ASCAP or whoever they can play a
song at rallies and the artist doesn't have much say in the matter beyond
expressing disapproval. It's different if they use the music in TV ads or
otherwise make copies of it, that requires permission and additional
payment--thus Jackson Browne suing the McCain campaign. But the Heart song
"Barracuda" used to intro Caribou Barbie at rallies, while annoying to Ann
and Nancy, was legal since the party had the necessary license; describing
it as "theft" is hyperbole at the very least. Ditto with Mellencamp music
which the McCain campaign stopped playing at rallies voluntarily when the
artist objected, but not because he had any legal right to compel them to
stop using it.