More Senators Dropping Off As Co-Sponsors Of PIPA

from the welcome-to-the-club-of-internet-protectors dept

Wed, Jan 18th 2012 12:08pm — Mike Masnick

We've already noted that Senator Marco Rubio dropped his co-sponsorship of PIPA, and now John Boozman has done the same, as have Senators Orrin Hatch and Roy Blunt. On the House side, Rep. Ben Quayle has also dropped support. On top of that, plenty of non-sponsors in both the House and the Senate have spoken out today to say they don't support the bills either... Would list them all, but running between meetings in the Senate to see if we might be able to get a few more names on this list... more later.

UPDATE: Just learned that Pennsylvania Congressman Tim Holden is withdrawing his co-sponsorship of SOPA.

UPDATE: And now Senator James Inhofe (thanks johnjac).

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Filed Under: ben quayle, blackouts, john boozman, lee terry, marco rubio, pipa, protect ip, protests, senate, sopa

41 Comments

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Isakill (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:20pm

Keep going!
Keep up the good work Mike!
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weneedhelp (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:25pm

Mike... You!... are Batman! Go!
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:32pm

Re:
That's not nice, Mike Loves his parents!
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:34pm

Hopefully someday soon we'll be able to say the following after SOPA's demise:

The Internet wins! FATALITY!
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:35pm

Re: Re:
So does Batman.
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Loki, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:36pm

Orin Hatch is a big one.

This is a man who once suggested the entertainment industry get a special exemption for breaking into people's computer, and perhaps if a few people got their computer destroyed, maybe they'd learn top respect copyright more.

when even he start backpedaling from a copyright bill, you know it has problems.
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Mortal Kombat, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:36pm

Re:
INFRINGEMENT!!
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:37pm

Re:
IP extremists really don't respect property laws.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:41pm

That's hardly any at all.
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Rick Falkvinge (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:43pm

Re: Re:
Of course they don't. The copyright and patent monopolies are limitations in property rights to begin with.

If you pay for a DVD, it becomes yours under principles of property rights. Copyright and patent monopolies make sure that the manufacturer can limit those property rights of yours.

So it's completely logical that monopoly maximalists disregard property rights.
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Nina Paley (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:43pm

Um, yay I guess
I'm imagining everyone in Congress shaking each others' hands, saying, "Victory! Now we have twice as many funders to choose from! Who wants to be funded by Tech now? Rubio? Boozman? Hatch? And whoever wants to stick with Hollywood can get twice as much now! Twice as much money for Congress! Let's have a party!"
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Corey, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:46pm

My "progressive" Senator isn't coming around http://twitter.com/NesisNotes_WPRI/status/159676180386160641
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:47pm

Ah Nina, you are so negative.
Not wrong, but negative.
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demented, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:52pm

Re: Re: Re:
They're just dead, is all.
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demented, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:53pm

Re:
Or that the coward has realized that 99% of the population is against him.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:53pm

Re:
Let's see how sincere Hatch is when the cloture vote comes up next week.
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demented, 18 Jan 2012 @ 12:57pm

"We the people," beyotches!
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Gwiz (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:00pm

Re: Um, yay I guess
Once again I am feeling the need for "Sad, but True" button.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:04pm

Roy Blunt too.
http://torrentfreak.com/senator-roy-blunt-drops-pipa-co-sponsorship-120118/

https://www.fac ebook.com/SenatorBlunt/posts/290177127706912
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:08pm

Re:
oopsie.
nevermind that. he was listed in the article already =)
Maybe some sleep is in order.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:08pm

Re: Re: Um, yay I guess
Agreed!
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johnjac (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:21pm

Add Jim Inhofe to the list
http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_i d=f2998e23-fbaa-5dfd-c98a-9a71c579b2b0
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Hans, 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:42pm

Sen. Cantwell (D,WA) does not support PIPA
Called the offices of my congress memebers. For what it's worth, after explaining the reason for my call, Cantwell's staffer told me specifically that Senator Cantwell does not support PIPA.

Left message for Sen. Murray (D,WA) (lines were busy!), and spoke with staffer for Rep. Inslee (D,WA-1).

I let all three know that I would not vote for them should they support these bills in any form, and I would actively urge others to do the same.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:42pm

but will they back peddle once the bill is reintroduced at a later date, under a new name? will they think that this protest is a 'one off'? will they be right? i sincerely hope not!
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:48pm

Re: Add Jim Inhofe to the list
Darn that Jim Inhofe and doing things that make me hate him less. But this hardly counters his support for both the Partiot Act and the NDAA.
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Hephaestus (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 1:58pm

Re: Um, yay I guess
I was thinking the same thing. Then I realized big tech does not need to fund the politicians. Just fund a site that pulls all information on politicians together.
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MahaliaShere (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:04pm

Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley also
Posting this on mobile, hope it works

m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5Cb7xzHB5is%26list%3DUUTpZ7wWCoIpNGqAZiiQDWhg%26ind ex%3D1%26feature%3Dplcp&index=1&list=UUTpZ7wWCoIpNGqAZiiQDWhg&feature=plcp&v=5Cb7xzH B5is&gl=US
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The eejit (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:06pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
And DC COMICS KILLED THEM OVER AND OVER! HAVE THEY NO SHAME?
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The eejit (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:16pm

Re: Re: Re:
People are all for smaller government, except when they aren't, 'cause they, y'know, dislike stuff.

Sound familiar? :)
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Revelati, 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:17pm

I'll bet google threatened to go offline for a day and it sunk SOPA faster than a rock off the Italian coast. Turns out that when the media that 2/3 of the world population looks at every day tries to get a message across, people take notice. If Hollywood is so upset they could just go on strike too, but they know it would just drive people to watch more user generated content on YouTube. Low cost+high creativity is the future of media, you can't just throw money and slack jawed superstars at a rehashed script and expect people to think it's good value anymore.

So take that! you backwards and bloated entertainment industry. While you were sleeping with your outmoded distribution models and corporate salaries that would make an enron executive blush, the world left you behind and sided with companies that create value by distributing information for free, that's right, FREE. That little word that also happens to be the basis of another word FREEDOM, something we seem to have forgotten about in this country.
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The eejit (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:19pm

Re: Re: Um, yay I guess
Or Google cauld "accidentally" have a breach of all the incriminating photos of the Congresscritters and Senators with their "free"hookers, yachts and suspicious brown envelopes.
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The eejit (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:21pm

Re:
Nah, too much money in not doing. Let's hope Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's efforts in trolling the electoral process (legally) succeed.
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MahaliaShere (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:39pm

Re: Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley also
Can't edit posts?

Anyway sorry, here's a better link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb7xzHB5is
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johnjac (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 3:21pm

Re: Re: Add Jim Inhofe to the list
agreed
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johnjac (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 3:24pm

add Coburn, Grassley, Cornyn, Sessions, Lee
http://hatch.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/6655775a-85bc-431a-af6c-8b9a1e6df176/Letter%20to%20Major ity%20Leader%20Reid%20January%2013%202012.pdf
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Violated (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 3:31pm

Rats, rats and more rats. The ship is sinking and the rats want off. Better than drowning at least.
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Pjerky (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 3:46pm

Re:
Don't you mean "A man DRESSED like a bat"?

Mondays XKCD:
http://xkcd.com/1004/
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Pjerky (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 3:48pm

Re: Re:
Who has the copyright on the word "infringement"? If no one does then I totally want to get it so that I can then sue any industry or politician idiots whom invoke it.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:49pm

Re: Um, yay I guess
Now, if they were just as worried about the people marking their X on a ballot (or it's voting machine equivalent) as the are overjoyed by the prospect of more and better funding.
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demented, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:48pm

Re: Re: Re: Um, yay I guess
Or if google doesn't wanna, maybe Anonymous could circulate some really filthy pictures and text about those critters.
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LC (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 8:41pm

Orin Hatch is no longer a supporter?

Wow...just wow. Never though the day would come where HE would oppose any copyright legislation.
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