[Infowarrior] - Senate Lets Copyright Lobby Set Up Shop In Senate Building During PROTECT-IP Debate

[Richard Forno]

Senate Lets Copyright Lobby Set Up Shop In Senate Building During PROTECT-IP Debate

from the how-about-some-bias-with-your-coffee? dept

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110923/03004416062/senate-lets-copyright-lobby-set-up-shop-senate-building-during-protect-ip-debate.shtml

This is pretty ridiculous. Just as the Senate is debating the PROTECT IP bill, the Copyright Alliance, a lobbying group created and funded by a bunch of the big legacy copyright maximalist companies, apparently got to set up an "educational display" in the Senate Russell Building Rotunda. The Copyright Alliance has no shame about how it's using this "educational display" to influence the vote:

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The exhibit is an opportunity to showcase for lawmakers and visitors to the U.S. Capitol Complex the importance of copyright to creators across America, by focusing on people behind the lens, sharing stories about the images, and helping viewers understand the investment and commitment made by photographers capturing our nation’s many stories.

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I'm curious if the Senate allows such other totally biased parties to set up exhibits like that during debate on other bills. How about pharmaceutical lobbyists setting up an "educational" nursing station in the Senate, just to show the "importance" of protecting pharma. And I'm sure the banks would love to set up an "educational" bank vault in the rotunda during Wall Street reform hearings. How could anyone in the Senate see such a biased effort as being okay?