CT Blue

Via Think Progress we learn that John Hagee’s lawyers have demanded that youtube remove almost 120 videos featuring John McCain and Joe Lieberman’s favorite bigot.

The lawyers are claiming copyright infringement, but in fact they appear to be exploiting a loophole in youtube’s policies in order to dampen viewership about Hagee as we approach the Christian’s United for Israel annual “summit” that will feature the shame of Connecticut, Joe Lieberman.

Late last week, with no prior notification, lawyers for the controversial evangelist John Hagee had a series of videos concerning the pastor removed from YouTube. The clips spanned from the contentious to the mundane; some included footage lifted from sermons Hagee had already made public, others involved documentaries made by filmmakers inside Hagee’s conventions. All told more than 120 videos were taken down in the abrupt sweep.

Videos that were taken down include some filmed by independent film makers like Max Blumenthal (clearly not covered by any copyright controlled by Hagee) and some which make fair use of copyrighted material. But apparently youtube’s policies can be exploited by someone like Hagee to force a two week shutdown of any material they care to designate:

There is little Blumenthal, Wilson, People for the American Way or others whose videos were swiped can do in the meantime. A first amendment lawyer with knowledge of copyright law noted that the pastor’s lawyers can have YouTube take down relevant videos regardless of how little Hagee footage they include or how long they have been online. Indeed, YouTube’s policy is to remove any video that a third-party claims is a copyright infringement, even if it seems to clearly be “fair use.”

After a period of time — likely, more than two weeks — users can repost their clips and that third-party must then prove that the video violates copyright law. By then, however, Hagee’s Christian’s United for Israel, Washington-Israel Summit will likely have commenced.

There is probably a good reason for this policy, but it’s also clear that Hagee is exploiting it. In the process, Lieberman gets some protection. Prose can be powerful stuff, but as (former) Senator Allen can tell you, video packs a more powerful punch.