Former President Trump's Team Seeks Supreme Court Permission to Dismiss Leading Copyright Director
The former leader's government on Monday requested the nation's highest court to permit the removal of the director of the US Copyright Office.
This emergency appeal follows about a month and a half after a national appellate court in Washington ruled that the director, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be unilaterally fired.
Almost four weeks prior, the entire District of Columbia circuit court declined to review that decision.
This legal matter is the most recent in a line of cases concerning executive authority to appoint chosen heads at government offices.
The High Court has generally permitted such actions, even as legal challenges continue.
However, this specific case concerns an office within the national library. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also counsels Congress on copyright matters.
The solicitor general, D John Sauer, stated in the legal document that, despite connections to Congress, the register “wields administrative authority” in overseeing copyrights.
Perlmutter claims she was terminated in May because the ex-leader disagreed with advice she gave to Congress in a document related to artificial intelligence.
She reportedly got an message from the White House notifying her that her role was “ended starting immediately,” according to her office.
A divided appellate group decided that Perlmutter could retain her position while the legal dispute proceeds.
“The administration's alleged blatant interference with the work of a congressional official, as she performs statutorily authorized responsibilities to advise the legislature, appears to be a violation of the separation of powers,” stated Justice Florence Pan for the appellate panel.
Justice J Michelle Childs joined the ruling. Both judges were appointed to the appeals court by Democratic President Joe Biden.
In dissent, Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, wrote that Perlmutter “exercises executive power in a host of ways.”
Perlmutter's lawyers have contended that she is a well-known intellectual property specialist. She has served as register of copyrights since former librarian of Congress Carla Hayden appointed her to the role in October 2020.
The ex-leader appointed deputy attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the Library of Congress. The White House had dismissed Hayden amid complaints from right-leaning groups that she was promoting a “woke” program.
