Justice Department starts to fill up with entertainment industry lawyers

Justice Department starts to fill up with entertainment industry lawyers
Less than a month into his term as President of the United States, Barrack Obama has offered a second high ranking position in Justice Department to a partner in one of the RIAA's favorite law firms. Last month Tom Pirelli, one of the original architects of the RIAA's lawsuit campaign against file sharing, was nominated to be the top civil rights official in the US Attorney General's office. Now Jenner & Block, the firm where Pirelli worked as Managing Partner, is sending 3 more lawyers to work for the DOJ.

Brian Hauck, who assisted in the infamous Grokster case and became a partner in the firm earlier this year, will be joining the Department of Justice as Counsel for the Associate Attorney General. Jenner & Block associate Ginger Anders will be taking a job as Assistant to the Solicitor General. The Solicitor General is responsible for arguing Supreme Court cases on behalf of the DOJ.



Don Verrilli, who actually argued MGM v Grokster before the Supreme Court on behalf of a group of entertainment companies, has been nominated for the position of Associate Deputy Attorney General. In the Grokster case Verrilli convinced the court that a company may be liable for secondary infringement when they distribute a product which is used to facilitate copyright infringement, even if it has substantial non-infringing uses.

He did not, as many in the media have said, win a judgement against Grokster. He merely convinced the court to vacate the summary judgement a lowr court made in Grokster's favor. The case was later settled out of court.

He was less successful in the Jammie Thomas appeal, when he put the RIAA's "making available" claim to the test. This legal theory says that simply copying music to a folder available to other P2P users without the label's permission is copyright infringement. The judge disagreed and declared a mistrial in the only case the RIAA has actually sent to a jury.

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 5 Feb 2009 14:55
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  • 10 comments
  • Mez

    Well the entertainment industry helped him get elected what do you expect? I heard they may also give monitary relief to the industry as well.

    6.2.2009 08:40 #1

  • lawndog

    well as he said change is coming!!
    And yeah the media loves him. I see his mug every where. Seems to be a do no wrong superman. (Obama that is)

    6.2.2009 11:24 #2

  • windsong

    Well I guess the Dept of Prudes, er, I mean, Dept of Justice, will be going after 16 yr old mp3 downloaders instead of 16 yr old child pron downloaders.

    Whatsamatter DOJ, CP business not good these days?

    Idiots.

    6.2.2009 19:00 #3

  • cousinkix

    Originally posted by windsong: Well I guess the Dept of Prudes, er, I mean, Dept of Justice, will be going after 16 yr old mp3 downloaders instead of 16 yr old child porn downloaders.

    Whatsamatter DOJ, CP business not good these days?

    Idiots.

    No kidding. HOLLYWEIRD and the rock stars are some of the biggest contributors to the Democratic Party. One of Obama's beauracrat lawyers actually handled cases for the pornograhy pushers in his private practice..

    7.2.2009 02:46 #4

  • Dunker

    This is merely a microcosm of the hardline socialism that now pervades the U.S. and the West. Traditional Friedman economics dictates that government and large corporations should be natural enemies. However, corporations learned - especially in the 1990's - that government can be a better friend than foe. As a result, we have various citizen-screwing laws and proposals such as DMCA, gun control laws, multi-billion dollar bailouts with no accountability...and the reward is filth like these RIAA scumbags get money and promotions into positions of power.

    Good work, socialists.

    7.2.2009 16:52 #5

  • domie

    Originally posted by Dunker: This is merely a microcosm of the hardline socialism that now pervades the U.S. and the West. Traditional Friedman economics dictates that government and large corporations should be natural enemies. However, corporations learned - especially in the 1990's - that government can be a better friend than foe. As a result, we have various citizen-screwing laws and proposals such as DMCA, gun control laws, multi-billion dollar bailouts with no accountability...and the reward is filth like these RIAA scumbags get money and promotions into positions of power.

    Good work, socialists.
    whilst I would not argue on the technical points you make here I think comparing hard line socialism to anything in the USA is misguided - it's either conservative (democrat) or ultra right-wing bible bashing conservative (republican) socialism is nowhere to be seen over there - you'd have to travel to the UK , Spain, France, Russia etc to see anything remotely leaning towards socialism let alone hard line.

    8.2.2009 07:07 #6

  • varnull

    That's missing the point about socialism.. what we have now is the nightmare Orwellian vision of socialism where the rich and powerful organisations, like the church and the huge corporations own the elected representatives and making laws to suit their greed and power, laws which don't consider the rights and freedoms of the people either as a group or as individuals.

    Just because these people don't wear a military uniform and strut about makes them no less national socialist.. look closely, they do wear a uniform.. the expensive suit. All decisions are made behind closed doors and are presented for verification as a fait acompli.. Approve this or you are an enemy of the state and people. The recent prop8 debacle opened a lot of eyes around the world to how these liars and bigots will abuse the so called "democratic" system to decide what is right for others.. unconstitutionally and without regard for what lies and hate were spread, and the damage it does to a modern society. Across europe it we seen as a move very similar to the nazis.. taking away rights from a few in the name of the majority, for no other reason than because they can. When church, big business and state align for their own ends the individual will lose every time... because in a society of individuals, as individuals we have no power and no voice.

    Those of us who watch from outside "normal" society observe worrying trends developing.. the bible thumping and stripping of rights from the people.. usually using this kind of argument (this is a quote from a LGBT newsletter taking the mick out of the typical churchianity stance) I know! It's like them damn nigras, getting more and more uppity the more rights we give 'em! Why should decent, hard-working, tax-paying parents have to worry about their pure virgin daughter having to share a dorm with uncouth types with their hip-hop, mareegeehuwaarnar and ebonic speech who only got there because of some gawddamn affirmative action scholarship? I'm not racist, but (insert racist comment here).
    BUT.. by removing a right from a minority the reality is.. the right is removed from all.. Be aware that they are lying to all of us, all the time. They control the law making systems and as they are the same people who control the media you will only ever hear the one side of it.. the side they want you to hear. All dissenting voices will be silenced, either by ridicule, plain hate " but they WOULD say that wouldn't they.. goddamn <insert offensive term for person or group> or by other completely legal (in their new world order) means.

    How this works.. I have first hand experience of the way power and position is abused for party political and personal gain.

    A few years ago (more than I care to think about) I was involved with a socialist workers campaign. I was a liason officer for the organisation after having been illegally fired from my job by a person who was not my employer, who then used the way I was paid from the town hall, not from his business, to illegally remove my wages. Similar to "I work for sainsburys but the manager of asda fired me because I was right and making a nuisance of myself in his opinion" kind of situation... That's how I came to be using the unemployed workers centre as my base of operations. During that time I happened to be asked by the large town centre residents association to run for a seat on the council, as an independent non party affiliated candidate to raise a few issues which needed to be brought out into the open and which were a concern of the people who actually lived in the area .. I lived there also, in the slum housing unlike all the other candidates who had nice big posh houses on the outskirts of town.
    One afternoon a member of the ruling council group, and actually a friend (director of housing for the local authority no less) came into the centre, as he did regularly, and said to the co-ordinator "You have an opposition candidate working here, and you are risking the centres funding from the council by having them on the premesis" .. that is clearly an abuse of power by the ruling labour group on the council.. unfortunately for him I was in the other room typing up some papers for the UWC so I put it in my notes right there and then.
    Somewhere somebody was rattled. They tried everything to attempt to get me to stand down from the election.. Invented over £1000 in rent arrears, made up an address and dragged me through he courts for non payment of a charge which I couldn't ever have owed as the place never existed.. All the usual kinds of abuses of the little person. As it was I came 4th.. oddly the labour party had more votes cast than there were people on the electoral lists.. I find that odd to say the least, but as the returning officer was also a member of the labour party what hope of any concerns being addressed?
    Eventually I lost my job, my home and my prospects all because I dared to stand up and be counted as is my democratic right. The warning I have is this.. You may have the right to do something, but if that something puts you in the line of fire of those with power and position working behind closed doors out of sight, you are sticking your head fair and square in the noose. They will lynch you, because you are only a little person and in their eyes you have no rights whatsoever.
    Remember the warning in 1984 .. "who controls the past controls the future, who controls the present controls the past"
    My history lesson shows exactly how that works.. those with the power can change historic facts to suit their lie, and then use that lie against you. Dare to speak out and they will change history to do you out of your platform. They control the documents, they control the facts and they can damn well prove the lie.. so beware.

    My grandfather Wilf (a real nazi and coal miner.. he thought hitler would be a better ally than stalin and went to a few of mosely's meetings.. he hated communism because of the way it infiltrated itself into the trade unions in the 30's) had a saying "It don't matter who you vote for.. them politicians always win" .. how true.



    Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.
    I would rather you hate me for who I am than love me for what I am not.
    Welcome to the other side of the looking glass Alice

    8.2.2009 08:52 #7

  • ktulu14

    Power corrupts -- Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely



    Free the West Memphis 3 --- http://www.wm3.org

    8.2.2009 09:43 #8

  • Mez

    varnull, a great one but a little long.

    I forgot how the fascists got into power. When you are out of work, you are ready for a change and may not care so much what happens. You will be happy to put blame on someone like pirates.

    The world is setting the stage for something very dramatic. The sh1t will not hit the fan for a few years yet but it ought to be bigger then WWII.

    9.2.2009 08:08 #9

  • xtago

    Originally posted by Dunker: This is merely a microcosm of the hardline socialism that now pervades the U.S. and the West. Traditional Friedman economics dictates that government and large corporations should be natural enemies. However, corporations learned - especially in the 1990's - that government can be a better friend than foe. As a result, we have various citizen-screwing laws and proposals such as DMCA, gun control laws, multi-billion dollar bailouts with no accountability...and the reward is filth like these RIAA scumbags get money and promotions into positions of power.

    Good work, socialists.
    That's not socialism, if it was you'd only be given a tv and a radio and never have access to anything that could be used to make copies of anything and if you did you'd been taken away to a prison or be killed in front of your family and town just to make sure them don't attempt to try coping stuff either.

    What your talking about is capitalism where the rich people/companies alter rules/laws so it favours themselves so it keeps them rich.

    Much like this guy getting to the head of justice so he can alter the laws in favour of the RIAA/MPAA companies always winning and getting the most money always.


    Moving on though, what I find odd is the RIAA sue people/companies for some silly rules, like you can't use a program that sends out copyright files yet you have to use itunes to get copyright files etc.

    Even with customers paying money etc and even if the company have licenses it'd still mean customers are breaking the law and apple in this case would also be breaking the law.

    Reading the rules on playing a music CD if it was applied hardcore it would actually mean people couldn't play the CD even to themselves as they don't have any right to play the music CD.

    It's starting to become glaringly contradictory on all these laws/rules due to these cases and people would rather not to buy the stuff or even bother pirating it in the first place so you can't be sued later on for simply hearing it.

    19.10.2011 06:28 #10

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