The Authors Guild has drafted a petition urging Congress restore Shira Perlmutter to her position as Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, from which she was abruptly fired last Saturday, just two days after the firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
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Noting that Perlmutter is "a renowned expert with deep knowledge of the importance of copyright to authors," the Authors Guild said that in her place, "the White House is attempting to install an administration official with no apparent copyright expertise. The livelihoods of writers and other creatives are protected by copyright. Don't let the administration take over copyright policy--it's illegal and puts the very foundations of our creative economy at risk."
The petition reads, in part: "Register Perlmutter is an extremely well-respected, nonpartisan copyright expert who has ably carried out her statutory responsibility to provide unbiased advice to Congress on copyright law and policy. By firing such a highly qualified, respected, and effective Register, much less attempting to replace her with someone who has no expertise in the field, the Administration has improperly interfered in the functions of a nonpartisan Legislative Branch agency, one that operates under the direction of Congress, not the Executive Branch. It is a shocking, disrespectful abuse of authority. We strongly urge Congress to stop this attempted overreach and immediately restore Register Perlmutter to her position....
"Regardless of party, members of Congress should be deeply troubled by this action, which, if allowed to stand, will undermine public trust in the Copyright Office's independence for years to come. Moreover, it will give future administrations license to exert control over matters that the law places squarely within the domain of Congress. We implore you to act to reverse this unlawful power grab and reinstate Shira Perlmutter as Register of Copyrights."