You can chock up another victory for Nancy Pelosi and the increased disemination of information of how our House of Representatives work. As you probably know by now, Speaker Pelosi started a vlog called 'The Gavel' this week in order to allow more people to see how the House the works.
Of course the Republicans like to work undercover as they promote their flawed agenda to help the rich and few at the expense of the many. Naturally they saw 'The Gavel' as an offense to their operations and fought back almost immediately. Republicans issued a press release today that stated Nancy Pelosi violated the copyright law by 'pirating' their coverage of the House. However, the press release was quickly retracted when a C-Span representative came out and said that their coverage was in the public domain and owned by the American people.
The Republican Study Group issued this press release around noon EST today, which has now mysteriously disappeared from their website without mention:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brad Dayspring (202) 225-3484
February 15, 2007
Speaker Pelosi's New Blog Violates C-SPAN Copyright/Trademark of House Proceedings
Will the Speaker bring the gavel down on "the Gavel Blog?"
As you may have heard, Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a new blog entitled "The Gavel." Though we applaud the Speaker's effort to adapt to new technology, the blog violated copyright and trademark law on the very first day.
Not once, not twice, but 16 times?
As of noon today, the Speaker had posted at least 16 videos that are copyrighted
C-SPAN material from the House floor. The RSC spoke with C-SPAN today, who confirmed that these videos violate C-SPAN copyright/trademark of the House proceedings.
Using C-Span for partisan purposes?
In addition to using pirated material, Speaker Pelosi also has used the pirated C-SPAN footage for partisan purposes. The collection of C-SPAN footage used in her "first official blog" is an example and the other pirated C-SPAN trademarked material shows Democrat after Democrat offering their views of the non-binding Democrat resolution on the reinforcement and realignment of American troops in Iraq.
So, what does Speaker Pelosi believe the role of C-SPAN is?
"One of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's first decisions was to deny a request by C-SPAN to be permitted to cover the House floor proceedings with its own cameras. Last month, Pelosi sent a letter to C-SPAN Chairman and CEO Brian Lamb saying she believed "the dignity and decorum" of the House "are best preserved by maintaining the current system of televised proceedings."
(CQ Weekly, January 15, 2007, Page 169)
Is the dignity and decorum of the House preserved by pirating copyrighted C-SPAN material for political purposes?
If not, will the Speaker bring the gavel down on "the Gavel Blog?"
###
Brad Dayspring
Communications Director
Republican Study Committee
(202) 225-3484
AIM: BDDACE2
www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc
Then C-Span came out and said that the RSC was completely wrong on the matter. Jennifer Moire said that the cameras C-Span uses are owned by Congress, therefore also owned by the American people. After C-Span set the record straight, the RSC quickly scurried away from the matter with this retraction:
Earlier today, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) released a document about the Speaker’s use of copyrighted/trademarked C-SPAN material on a Congressional website. The document was based upon a conversation that RSC staff had with Barry Katz, the Manager of C-SPAN Video Assets (and the employee identified as being directly responsible for answering questions to Congress about the use of C-SPAN material).
Bruce Collins, the Corporate Vice President and General Counsel of C-SPAN, called post release and said that the information provided by the C-SPAN employee to the RSC was incorrect.
Given this contradictory information, the RSC wanted to be the first set the record straight and withdraw the information included in the release.
Another day, another Republican attack dismantled. This one took two hours, now if we can dismantle the war that is about to go on its 5th year, we will make some real progress.
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