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View Full Version : Obama nominates former RIAA lawyer for Solicitor General spot




Kludge
01-25-2011, 06:08 PM
I'm shocked. Really. http://www.free-emoticons.co.uk/emoticons/Indifferent/indifferent0018.gif

"President Barack Obama on Monday nominated former Recording Industry Association of America lawyer Donald Verrilli Jr. to serve as the nation’s solicitor general.

If confirmed by the Senate, Verilli, now the White House deputy counsel, would assume the powerful position left vacant by Elena Kagan, who was elevated to the Supreme Court. Obama said he was “confident” that Verrilli, one of five former RIAA attorneys appointed to the administration, would “serve ably.”

The solicitor general is charged with defending the government before the Supreme Court, and files friend-of-the court briefs in cases in which the government believes there is a significant legal issue. The office also determines which cases it would bring to the Supreme Court for review.

Verrilli is best known for leading the recording industry’s legal charge against music- and movie-sharing site Grokster. That 2003 case ultimately led to Grokster’s demise when the US Supreme Court sided with the RIAA’s verdict.

Until recently, Verrilli also was leading Viacom’s ongoing and flailing $1 billion copyright infringement fight against YouTube."

Full story @ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/01/obama-nominates-former-riaa-lawyer-for-solicitor-general-spot.ars

oyarde
01-25-2011, 06:12 PM
Why do we need a solicitor General ??