Politician Settling Case for Unauthorized Use of Music at Campaign Events

By Geri L. Haight, Susan Neuberger Weller

Written by Susan Neuberger Weller

It appears that Newt Gingrich and Frankie Sullivan, a member of the rock band Survivor, and his company Rude Music , have reached a tentative settlement in the latter’s copyright infringement suits against Gingrich for use of the song "Eye of the Tiger" during Gingrich’s presidential campaign bid. In Rude Music Inc. v. Newt 2012 Inc., the copyright owner claims that Gingrich began unauthorized use of the song in 2009 in various venues throughout the country, and that unlicensed videos of these events with the music playing were posted online. Gingrich contended that the venues at which the music was used were responsible for obtaining or had obtained licenses to use the music. As we reported in this blog and in a more detailed article, the unauthorized use of music and other copyrighted works in political campaigns is and will continue to be a hot topic going forward.  Stay tuned for further developments.

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Geri L. Haight

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Geri Haight is a Mintz Member and former in-house counsel who focuses on employment litigation, counseling, and compliance, as well as intellectual property and trade secret matters.

Susan Neuberger Weller

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Susan Neuberger Weller manages the Trademark & Copyright Practice at Mintz. Susan assists clients with securing and protecting IP assets across the globe. She's worked with clients in a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, software, electronics, and entertainment.