US Copyright Office Director Sues Trump Administration Over Controversial Firing Amid AI Copyright Debate

US Copyright Office director sues Trump administration over firing

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Copyright Office director fired by the Trump administration sued President Donald Trump and other government officials on Thursday, arguing her firing was unconstitutional and should not be allowed to take effect. Shira Perlmutter said in the lawsuit, opens new tab that her termination by email on May 10 was "blatantly unlawful," and that only the U.S. Congress can remove her from office. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., federal district court, is the latest in a series of legal clashes between Trump and federal officials he has sought to fire since his inauguration in January. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint. A spokesperson for the Copyright Office and an attorney for Perlmutter declined to comment. On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed Trump's firing of two Democratic members of federal labor boards to remain in effect while their legal challenges proceed in a dispute that tests the president's power over independent government agencies. The Copyright Office, a department of the Library of Congress, confirmed on May 12 that the administration had fired Perlmutter by email on May 10. Perlmutter's firing sparked a backlash from Democratic politicians, who said that Congress had "purposely insulated" the Copyright Office from politics. The lawsuit said that Perlmutter's firing came a day after the office released a report on the high-stakes intersection of artificial intelligence and copyright law. The office said in the report that technology companies' use of copyrighted works to train AI may not always be protected under U.S. law. Tech companies including OpenAI and Meta Platforms have told the office that being forced to pay copyright holders for their content could cripple the burgeoning U.S. AI industry. Perlmutter asked the court to block the Trump appointees from taking the acting positions and declare that she remains the Copyright Office's director. Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by Leigh Jones and Leslie Adler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:United States Blake Brittain Thomson Reuters Blake Brittain reports on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, for Reuters Legal. He has previously written for Bloomberg Law and Thomson Reuters Practical Law and practiced as an attorney.

Judge denies US Copyright Office director's request to halt her firing

May 28 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday rejected U.S. Copyright Office Director Shira Perlmutter's emergency bid to block the Trump administration from firing her. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled during a hearing that Perlmutter had not shown she would be irreparably harmed if not immediately reinstated as the case continues. Kelly said Perlmutter's loss of her job was not significant enough to grant her emergency request. He said recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court and D.C. Circuit "gave a side-eye" to the idea that the harm of her firing would justify a restraining order against the administration. Attorneys for Perlmutter did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision. A spokesperson for the Copyright Office declined to comment. The administration had terminated Perlmutter from her position by email on May 10, which she called "blatantly unlawful" in a lawsuit filed on May 22. The Copyright Office, a department of the Library of Congress, confirmed on May 12 that the administration had fired Perlmutter. Her removal sparked a backlash from Democratic politicians, who said that Congress had "purposely insulated" the Copyright Office from politics. The administration, in a court filing responding to the lawsuit, said the Library of Congress is "not an autonomous organization free from political supervision," but did not give a specific reason for Perlmutter's firing. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement that the president "reserves the right to remove employees within his own Executive Branch who exert his executive authority." The administration also fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on May 9, citing her advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Perlmutter's firing came one day after the Copyright Office released a report on the intersection of artificial intelligence and copyright law. The office said in the report that technology companies' use of copyrighted works to train AI may not always be protected under U.S. law. Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington Editing by David Bario, Bill Berkrot and Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Legal Blake Brittain Thomson Reuters Blake Brittain reports on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, for Reuters Legal. He has previously written for Bloomberg Law and Thomson Reuters Practical Law and practiced as an attorney.

US Copyright Office Director Sues Trump Administration Over Firing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Copyright Office director fired by the Trump administration sued President Donald Trump and other government officials on Thursday, arguing her firing was unconstitutional and should not be allowed to take effect. Shira Perlmutter said in the lawsuit that her termination by email on May 10 was "blatantly unlawful," and that only the U.S. Congress can remove her from office. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., federal district court, is the latest in a series of legal clashes between Trump and federal officials he has sought to fire since his inauguration in January. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint. A spokesperson for the Copyright Office and an attorney for Perlmutter declined to comment. On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed Trump's firing of two Democratic members of federal labor boards to remain in effect while their legal challenges proceed in a dispute that tests the president's power over independent government agencies. The Copyright Office, a department of the Library of Congress, confirmed on May 12 that the administration had fired Perlmutter by email on May 10. Perlmutter's firing sparked a backlash from Democratic politicians, who said that Congress had "purposely insulated" the Copyright Office from politics. The lawsuit said that Perlmutter's firing came a day after the office released a report on the high-stakes intersection of artificial intelligence and copyright law. The office said in the report that technology companies' use of copyrighted works to train AI may not always be protected under U.S. law. Tech companies including OpenAI and Meta Platforms have told the office that being forced to pay copyright holders for their content could cripple the burgeoning U.S. AI industry. Perlmutter asked the court to block the Trump appointees from taking the acting positions and declare that she remains the Copyright Office's director. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by Leigh Jones and Leslie Adler)

US Copyright Office director sues Trump administration over firing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Copyright Office director fired by the Trump administration sued President Donald Trump and other government officials on Thursday, arguing her firing was unconstitutional and should not be allowed to take effect. Shira Perlmutter said in the lawsuit that her termination by email on May 10 was "blatantly unlawful," and that only the U.S. Congress can remove her from office. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., federal district court, is the latest in a series of legal clashes between Trump and federal officials he has sought to fire since his inauguration in January. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint. A spokesperson for the Copyright Office and an attorney for Perlmutter declined to comment. On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed Trump's firing of two Democratic members of federal labor boards to remain in effect while their legal challenges proceed in a dispute that tests the president's power over independent government agencies. The Copyright Office, a department of the Library of Congress, confirmed on May 12 that the administration had fired Perlmutter by email on May 10. Perlmutter's firing sparked a backlash from Democratic politicians, who said that Congress had "purposely insulated" the Copyright Office from politics. The lawsuit said that Perlmutter's firing came a day after the office released a report on the high-stakes intersection of artificial intelligence and copyright law. The office said in the report that technology companies' use of copyrighted works to train AI may not always be protected under U.S. law. Tech companies including OpenAI and Meta Platforms have told the office that being forced to pay copyright holders for their content could cripple the burgeoning U.S. AI industry. Perlmutter asked the court to block the Trump appointees from taking the acting positions and declare that she remains the Copyright Office's director. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by Leigh Jones and Leslie Adler)