Obama nominates Espinel for IP czar
Obama nominates Espinel for IP czar
By Tom Braithwaite in Washington
Published: September 26 2009 01:10 | Last updated: September 26 2009 01:10
The Obama administration on Friday nominated Victoria Espinel as co-ordinator for intellectual property enforcement, a new position demanded by the entertainment industry to help it battle copyright theft.
Ms Espinel’s role, shortened to IP ‘czar’ long before the current administration’s fondness for czars became a political issue, was created last year as part of a bill that also imposes severe penalties in counterfeiting cases.
“Intellectual property protection, promotion, and enforcement will now be rightly elevated to the highest level of the executive branch, an important sign about the administration’s commitment to protecting jobs throughout America’s IP-intensive industries,” said Mark Esper, executive vice-president at the US Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber estimates almost 18m workers in the US are employed in sectors for which intellectual property is a substantial part of business.
NBC Universal, the media group, celebrated the appointment and said Ms Espinel “should be well-positioned to ensure that American innovation and creativity generate American jobs”.
“Paul Almeida, president of Department for Professional Employees at the AFL-CIO trades union group, said Ms Espinel - whose appointment needs to be confirmed by the Senate - should focus on protecting US workers from overseas infringement of intellectual property.
“There are a lot of issues as far as our position versus other countries - there continues to be an imbalance,” he said. “It goes from the A-list performers down to stagehands to everyone who’s involved in production.”
The US has brought cases at the World Trade Organisation against China, claiming that the country has not done enough to protect US companies’ copyright on products such as DVDs.
In another case, involving the two countries and the US entertainment industry, China this week filed a last-minute appeal against a World Trade Organisation ruling that it unfairly restricts the sale of US films, music and books, reviving an argument that its restrictions were needed to protect public morals and Chinese culture.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
By Tom Braithwaite in Washington
Published: September 26 2009 01:10 | Last updated: September 26 2009 01:10
The Obama administration on Friday nominated Victoria Espinel as co-ordinator for intellectual property enforcement, a new position demanded by the entertainment industry to help it battle copyright theft.
Ms Espinel’s role, shortened to IP ‘czar’ long before the current administration’s fondness for czars became a political issue, was created last year as part of a bill that also imposes severe penalties in counterfeiting cases.
“Intellectual property protection, promotion, and enforcement will now be rightly elevated to the highest level of the executive branch, an important sign about the administration’s commitment to protecting jobs throughout America’s IP-intensive industries,” said Mark Esper, executive vice-president at the US Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber estimates almost 18m workers in the US are employed in sectors for which intellectual property is a substantial part of business.
NBC Universal, the media group, celebrated the appointment and said Ms Espinel “should be well-positioned to ensure that American innovation and creativity generate American jobs”.
“Paul Almeida, president of Department for Professional Employees at the AFL-CIO trades union group, said Ms Espinel - whose appointment needs to be confirmed by the Senate - should focus on protecting US workers from overseas infringement of intellectual property.
“There are a lot of issues as far as our position versus other countries - there continues to be an imbalance,” he said. “It goes from the A-list performers down to stagehands to everyone who’s involved in production.”
The US has brought cases at the World Trade Organisation against China, claiming that the country has not done enough to protect US companies’ copyright on products such as DVDs.
In another case, involving the two countries and the US entertainment industry, China this week filed a last-minute appeal against a World Trade Organisation ruling that it unfairly restricts the sale of US films, music and books, reviving an argument that its restrictions were needed to protect public morals and Chinese culture.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sansterre on -
The parent company of NBC Universal is GE, who's CEO is Jeff Immelt (name sound familiar). Vivendi (a French company) owns 20% of NBC Universal as well (recently heard that Vivendi wanted to sell their 20%, don't know if they did so already). If you look up Vivendi, you'll find that in addition to media they also have a sizable ownership of the worlds (drinkable) water supply.
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Permalink Reply by Darrell from Alliance on -
Just a minute, I didn't think that any of the "czars" had to have Senate approval. I heard on talk radio that they did not and didn't have to answer to anyone but Obama and could not be indicted for any mistakes.
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Permalink Reply by teresa on -
some have which ones i don't know
Alexander issued a statement saying that "Eighteen of the administration’s 32 czars hold new positions that did not exist in previous administrations and were not authorized by law. These czars are unconfirmed by the Senate, unavailable for questioning, and unaccountable to the American people through their elected representatives."
Senate Schedules Hearing on History and Legality of Presidential “C...
September 29, 2009 5:03 PM
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., announced today that his Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution will hold a hearing “Examining the History and Legality of Executive Branch 'Czars'” on Tuesday October 6.
Earlier this month the liberal lawmaker asked the White House to identify the czars' "roles and responsibilities, and provide the judgment(s) of your legal advisors as to whether and how these positions are consistent with the Appointments Clause" in Article II, section 2 of the Constitution, which states that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States."
Previous presidents have made ample use of the privilege to appoint executive branch experts who are not confirmed by the Senate and oversee one particular area, but experts say President Obama has done so to an unprecedented degree.
In April, David Rothkopf wrote at the Foreign Policy blog with the appointment of a Border Czar, President Obama had more czars than the Romanovs.
-jpt
Examining the History and Legality of Executive Branch 'Czars'”
Senate Judiciary Committee
Subcommittee on the Constitution
View a webcast of this hearing
DATE: October 6, 2009
TIME: 02:00 PM
ROOM: Dirksen-226
OFFICIAL HEARING NOTICE / WITNESS LIST:
September 29, 2009
NOTICE OF SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution has scheduled a hearing on "Examining the History and Legality of Executive Branch 'Czars'" for Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 226 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building.
Chairman Feingold will preside
By order of the Chairman
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Permalink Reply by teresa on
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Alexander issued a statement saying that "Eighteen of the administration’s 32 czars hold new positions that did not exist in previous administrations and were not authorized by law. These czars are unconfirmed by the Senate, unavailable for questioning, and unaccountable to the American people through their elected representatives."
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