Raw Story: "After critical article, conservative nonprofit accuses

[FormerRepublican]

...Raw Story of violating copyright"

I'm posting this because of the special brand of Republican sickness at the bottom of the story - preying on vulnerable senior citizens to raise money to eliminate Social Security, while claiming the money will save Social Security. :puke:

"The National Center for Public Policy Research, the conservative nonprofit where fallen lobbyist Jack Abramoff served as a director, has instructed RAW STORY to remove a fundraising letter the group sent in 2004.

Noland MacKenzie Canter, III, a lawyer for the group, says the publication of the center’s fundraising letter violates their copyright. To many outside Washington, the center is known for being the group that Abramoff used to cover posh junkets for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX).

RAW STORY published the letter in January of 2005. The story it accompanied detailed the effort by the conservative nonprofit to raise money from senior citizens by disguising a solicitation for a political donation under the guise of a “Task Force” to save Social Security.

Sent amidst a climate of growing concern about the Social Security program, the group's letters targeted seniors of both parties, aiming to convince them their Social Security benefits were in jeopardy in hopes of inducing them to donate money. The mailings also encouraged seniors to keep the missive secret from others, perhaps even from family members."

Raw Story Link

The things corrupt Republicans get up to makes my skin crawl.

[BOSSHOG]

1. I don't understand

I would think that a wonderful organization like the National Center for Public Policy Research would welcome the publicity of their good and charitable work. Those compassionate conservatives must be kinda shy about getting all the attention.

[napi21]

2. You can't copyright a publicly distributed fund raising letter,

can you? I don't think so.

[Inland]

5. I would think that the Fair Use Doctrine would allow use

for political purposes. That is, it can be copyrighted, but it's also needed in order to have a complete political debate, so the copyright wouldn't be enforced against RS.

[hang a left]

3. Here is a lady charged with a hate crime for conning the elderly.

Woman pleads guilty to hate crime for conning elderly men

Sherry Kaslov, 30, who most recently resided in Florida but once lived at 24-39 87th St. in East Elmhurst, admitted in court that she conned two men, aged 80 and 84, into giving her tens of thousands of dollars for nonexistent medical bills and other expenses, DA Richard Brown said. She was charged under a 2000 hate crime law because she targeted elderly people, prosecutors said.
She will be sentenced on May 3, the DA said.
Last month a 43-year-old Bayside woman was sentenced to four months in jail for a similar scheme, prosecutors said.


http://www.timesledger.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=1622768...

[Roland99]

4. Quick! Someone call 9-11!!!

[hang a left]

6. I self deleted my post even though you duped me :)

Anyway....has anyone read this letter and the entire article yet? Out-freaking-rageous. Preying on the elderly that are dependent on their social security as their only sustenance.

[magellan]

7. How can publication of a letter they sent someone else violate copyright?

Presumably the recipient turned the letter over to Raw Story. Is this a breach of the originator's copyright?? I would hope that copyright law isn't so silly that it precludes any legacy of ownership that would cover the recipient's and Raw Story's rights in this matter.

[Just Me]

8. Where the hell did the guy get his law degree from, a gumball machine?

Good grief. What total nonsense!!!

[napi21]

9. Just a scare tactic hoping RS will not have legal advice and

take it off the site.