CO Confirms Pallante Resignation From LOC
The Copyright Office confirmed Tuesday that ousted Register of Copyrights Maria Pallante resigned from the Library of Congress entirely. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden removed Pallante as head of the CO Friday, reassigning her as LOC adviser for digital strategy.…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
Stakeholders quickly questioned the circumstances of Pallante’s ouster and how the move would affect the CO’s policy advisory role (see 1610210061 and 1610240052). Pallante said she will leave the LOC effective Saturday, noting in a copy of her resignation letter we obtained that “I do not accept the reassignment to work on Library matters that was announced on Friday.” Pallante appeared to confirm in the letter earlier reports that her access to the CO’s IT system had been cut Friday after learning of her ouster. “I would be grateful for your accommodation as I say goodbye to colleagues and collect personal items this week, and would appreciate the reinstatement of access to my computer and email so that I may appropriately archive records and remove photos of my family,” she said in the letter. Hayden didn’t detail her reasoning for Pallante’s “reassignment” in a memo obtained by us, but noted that she and Law Librarian of Congress David Mao would closely supervise Pallante’s activities. “If you need research assistance, contact [Mao] or me before tasking anyone,” Hayden said in the memo. “I do not anticipate that this assignment will require any communications with Members of Congress or congressional staff.” The CO didn't comment. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a backer of greater CO autonomy, noted his concerns Tuesday about Pallante’s removal. The move “underscores the longstanding challenges associated with housing the Copyright Office in the Library of Congress,” Hatch said in a statement. “Ultimately the Register’s primary duty is to our nation’s copyright system, including providing expert opinion to Congress. In the coming months, I look forward to exploring this relationship and considering possible legislative actions to ensure the viability of our copyright system.” Lobbyists across the copyright spectrum pointed Monday to Pallante’s backing of CO independence as a major factor in her removal as register. Pallante’s “service as Register has laid the groundwork for important modernization efforts in the Copyright Office, which I intend to pursue working in close collaboration with Congress and stakeholders,” Hayden said in a CO statement. Future of Music National Organizing Director Kevin Erickson echoed other content-side copyright stakeholders in a blog post Tuesday in raising concerns about Pallante’s ouster, but cautioned against speculating whether the move reflects Hayden’s copyright policy stance.