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Washington, D.C. – A bizarre scene unfolded at the U.S. Copyright Office this week as two men, claiming to be newly appointed officials from the Trump administration, were reportedly denied entry. The incident occurred just days after the controversial dismissal of Copyright Office Director Shira Perlmutter, adding fuel to the fire surrounding the administration’s stance on copyright law and artificial intelligence.
Sources familiar with the situation told WIRED that the two men, identifying themselves as Brian Nieves (claiming the role of deputy librarian) and Paul Perkins (asserting he was the new acting director of the Copyright Office and acting register), presented documentation of their alleged White House appointments to security personnel. The authenticity of these documents and the men’s claims remains unconfirmed.
Intriguingly, LinkedIn profiles suggest individuals named Brian Nieves and Paul Perkins currently hold positions within the Department of Justice, raising questions about their potential involvement and the legitimacy of their claims. Neither the Department of Justice nor the White House has yet responded to inquiries regarding the matter.
Capitol Police were reportedly involved in preventing the men’s entry, though the law enforcement agency disputes claims that they escorted anyone off the premises. The U.S. Copyright Office, a crucial agency within the Library of Congress, oversees the nation’s copyright regulations, processing applications and maintaining a database of copyright registrations.
Adding to the turmoil, the Trump administration also recently terminated Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first woman and African American to hold the position. The administration cited “DEI” related concerns for her termination.
The document presented by the two men also allegedly stated that Todd Blanche, previously a personal defense lawyer for Trump, was now the acting Librarian of Congress, replacing Hayden. The White House press secretary stated that Hayden’s firing stemmed from “quite concerning things she had done at the Library of Congress in pursuit of DEI.”
The timing of Perlmutter’s dismissal has sparked speculation, with some lawmakers suggesting a connection to a recently released Copyright Office report addressing the legality of using copyrighted materials for AI training. Representative Joe Morelle, a leading Democrat, condemned Perlmutter’s ouster as a “brazen, unprecedented power grab,” linking it to potential conflicts with Elon Musk’s AI endeavors.
The report, a “pre-publication” version, explored the complex issue of fair use in AI training. It suggested that while the fair use doctrine might protect some AI applications, it may not extend to “making commercial use of vast troves of copyrighted works to produce expressive content that competes with them in existing markets.” This stance aligns with ongoing copyright infringement lawsuits, such as the New York Times’ case against OpenAI.
The events at the Copyright Office and the surrounding controversies underscore the growing tension between copyright law, technological innovation, and political agendas.
Key Takeaways:
- Two men claiming Trump appointments blocked from entering U.S. Copyright Office.
- Incident occurs days after the firing of Copyright Office Director Shira Perlmutter.
- Speculation links Perlmutter’s dismissal to a report on AI and copyright.
- The Trump administration also terminated Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
- Questions arise about the legitimacy of the claimed appointments and potential political motivations.
Tags: Copyright, Donald Trump, AI, Politics, U.S. Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter, Carla Hayden, Todd Blanche