Lawyer to RIAA: Sue the Bush Twins

[Blind_Io]

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/06/21...iaa_sue_t.html

Lawyer to RIAA: Sue the First Twins for copyright violations!

Mitchell Silverman, an attorney in Florida, noticed in a recent news-story that GW Bush's twin daughters presented him with a mix CD of exercise music for Father's Day. Since the record industry maintains that making and distributing mix CDs is a copyright infringement, Silverman sent their legal offices a letter on letterhead asking them to sue the first twins for "stealing music."

As you will see from the attached article from today’s The Miami Herald, President George W. Bush’s daughters made him a presumably illegal compilation CD, a so-called “mix CD,” as a Father’s Day present. As the article, at http://www.miamiherald.com/692/story/142726.html states, “[President] Bush's twin daughters, gave him [as a Father’s Day present] a CD they had made for him to listen to while exercising.”

This is a serious violation of copyright. As you know, whichever of your member organizations that are right-holders for the copied musical works may be entitled to statutory damages of $150,000.00 per musical work copied.

I hope and expect that you at the RIAA will display the same vigor in prosecuting this matter and protecting the rights of your rights-holders that it has displayed in enforcing those rights against other alleged violators.

[cvrefugee]

That's stupid. Everybody hates the RIAA except when it can prosecute somebody you hate?

[avidvideo]

Everybody does hate the RIAA. All this is asking for is that the rules be applied fairly and evenly, though I suspect there is an element of tongue-in-cheek humour.

[swek]

It's intended to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the RIAA and to ridicule them since it's higly unlikely that they'll act on this.

Thus everyon who dislikes the RIAA can go: "I always knew it, you can't steal music unlesss...Equality my ass."

As if we didn't know before.

[Firecat]

I think it would fall under fair use. I'd guess that they get some sort of money from their parents, which they used to purchase the music...so if they make a mix cd and share it with their parents, it sounds legal to me.

If they can prove that the obtained the music without paying for it, that'd be different.

[Blind_Io]

Legally you are correct, but the RIAA doesn't believe in "Fair Use" and sue anyway. They have deeper pockets and people can't afford to defend themselves in court - so they end up paying the settlement of a few thousand dollars the RIAA offers. When they actually do get someone who fights they quietly drop the suit and walk away to avoid a court ruling that would prevent them from suing everyone in sight.

The point of this is to show that the RIAA doesn't care about royalties, they choose the weakest and most vulnerable people to sue but ignore anyone who could actually cause them problems in court.

[nomix]

Yup. That's why the industri allways goes after torrent sites, and don't give a shit about Google.

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by Firecat

I think it would fall under fair use. I'd guess that they get some sort of money from their parents, which they used to purchase the music...so if they make a mix cd and share it with their parents, it sounds legal to me.

If they can prove that the obtained the music without paying for it, that'd be different.

I agree with Firecat. This is nothing more than a political cheap-shot.

[epp_b]

Ooh, this is delicious. I can't wait until someone uses the "but the Bush twins got away with it!" defense (because you know they will)

[tigger]

Bwahahhaa, that is hilarious. I don't see it as a political cheap shot, it is the kind of thing the RIAA has sued over. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt they'd come after the Presidents daughters, which is bullshit.

[Vette Boss]

I would so love to see the Bush twins get prosecuted.

[I<3myV8]

I would love to see the Bush twins get persecuted but under one condition - George Bush bombs the RIAA afterwards.

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by cvg

I agree with Firecat. This is nothing more than a political cheap-shot.

By the same argument any employer could use music bought by an employee. The point is that the RIAA has sued people for less than a mixed CD - in fact they have sued people who were getting music that was not from an RIAA artist! Explain that one.

If you want to talk about political and legal cheap-shots the RIAA is currently king. I still say that they are getting a very, very small dose of their own political medicine. If your opponent hits below the belt there's no reason you can't too.

[American TG Man]

Why do I get the feeling the RIAA overuses SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation), which, I should point out, are ILLEGAL in 20-30 US states?

I'd LOVE to see the RIAA get their comeuppance. If only they put as much effort into educating people about stealing music as they do into trying to destroy those that do.

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

If you want to talk about political and legal cheap-shots the RIAA is currently king. I still say that they are getting a very, very small dose of their own political medicine. If your opponent hits below the belt there's no reason you can't too.

I don't understand your point. Are you saying the RIAA is supported by Bush's daughters? They have nothing to do with that organization. I'm saying that the political cheap-shot is coming from that ambulance-chaser Mitchell Silverman, a douchebag who's just trying to get some publicity.

If this was about somebody else other than the Bush twins, you would be pissed that some liar lawyer was bringing this to the attention of the RIAA.

[TomCat]

Originally Posted by cvg

I don't understand your point. Are you saying the RIAA is supported by Bush's daughters? They have nothing to do with that organization. I'm saying that the political cheap-shot is coming from that ambulance-chaser Mitchell Silverman, a douchebag who's just trying to get some publicity.

If this was about somebody else other than the Bush twins, you would be pissed that some liar lawyer was bringing this to the attention of the RIAA.

I think the point is for the RIAA to go after someone who could do some serious damage to the RIAA if it were to end up in court.

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by cvg

I don't understand your point. Are you saying the RIAA is supported by Bush's daughters? They have nothing to do with that organization. I'm saying that the political cheap-shot is coming from that ambulance-chaser Mitchell Silverman, a douchebag who's just trying to get some publicity.

If this was about somebody else other than the Bush twins, you would be pissed that some liar lawyer was bringing this to the attention of the RIAA.

It has nothing to do with the Bush twins, it has everything to do with the lawyer's statement. Is it a cheap shot? Yes. Cheaper than suing a little old lady who doesn't even have internet access? No.

[cvrefugee]

So what's the lawyer's intention? Most people in this thread think it's to somehow harm the Bush administration, but you seem to think this is a dig against the RIAA.

[nomix]

No, the intention is to show how stupid the RIAA's argument is.

And it's a success.