ASJA Signs Petition to Reinstate Register of Copyrights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ASJA staff, asjaoffice@asja.org
New York, New York (May 16, 2025) – The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) condemns the recent firing of Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter and has joined a petition to Congress created by the Authors Guild urging her reinstatement.
The petition states that Perlmutter’s firing constitutes executive branch overreach. By statute, the U.S. Copyright Office is part of the Library of Congress and the Register is appointed by the Librarian of Congress, not the executive branch. The Register advises Congress on national and international copyright issues and is a nonpartisan position.
The petition states that, by firing Perlmutter, the White House has attempted to usurp Congress’s authority and “will undermine public trust in the Copyright Office’s independence for years to come.”
The Authors Guild delivered copies of the petition to the chairs and ranking members of various committees and subcommittees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, including the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
Petition Decries Attempt to Undermine Congressional Authority
“As professional independent writers, ASJA members hold the copyright to their own works unless and until they assign those rights to a client or publisher,” said ASJA president Darcy Lewis. “Copyright issues are extremely important to our members. Accordingly, ASJA decries any attempt to damage the independence of the U.S. Copyright Office.”
Perlmutter had served as the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office since 2020. Prior to her appointment, her decades-long career included positions as an intellectual property attorney, law professor, consultant to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and Chief Policy Officer and Director for International Affairs at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The Trump administration named Department of Justice attorney Paul Perkins acting Register of Copyrights and director of the Copyright Office. Perkins has no known copyright expertise.
Perlmutter’s firing came just two days after the firing of Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress. The Librarian is another nonpartisan role typically filled by an expert with decades of experience.
The petition is available at the Authors Guild website for authors, creators, and organizations to sign.
ASJA, which has been the nation’s premier organization for professional freelance nonfiction writers since 1948, champions the First Amendment and rights of freelance writers. The organization has a particular focus on issues of national importance, including censorship, copyright, and legal or industry changes that prevent independent writers from making a living.
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For more information about the organization, contact ASJA staff, asjaoffice@asja.org.
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About ASJA
The American Society of Journalists and Authors is the nation’s premier organization of professional freelance nonfiction writers. ASJA members write books, journalism and content marketing and have met ASJA’s objective standards of professional achievement by publishing with national magazines, publishers and clients. As First Amendment and right-to-freelance advocates, ASJA stands up for writers’ rights and offers extensive networking and educational opportunities that benefit members and the freelance writing profession as a whole. ASJA believes in diversity and inclusion and actively works to attract members from all backgrounds and experience levels while continuing to emphasize excellence in nonfiction writing. Learn more at www.asja.org.