Shira Perlmutter, the director of the U.S. Copyright Office, filed a federal lawsuit on May 22 against President Donald Trump and top officials in his administration, arguing her recent firing was unconstitutional and must be reversed.
In the 14-page complaint, Perlmutter alleges that her May 10 dismissal—sent by email—violates federal law and the U.S. Constitution, which she says vest authority over her position in Congress, not the White House. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“The administration’s attempts to remove Ms. Perlmutter as the register of Copyrights are blatantly unlawful,” the lawsuit states. “Congress vested the Librarian of Congress—not the president—with the power to appoint and, therefore, to remove, the Register of Copyrights.”…