Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was reportedly temporarily locked out of her official Twitter account — and was served with a cease and desist demand that carried an at least implicit threat of further legal action — after she posted a promotional video using a song by the musical artist professionally known as Dr. Dre.
Greene didn’t have permission from the artist, who holds the rights to the track, to use it. “One might expect that, as a member of Congress, you would have a passing familiarity with the laws of our country,” the singer and producer’s legal team wrote to Greene. “It’s possible, though, that laws governing intellectual property are a little too arcane and insufficiently populist for you to really have spent much time on.” The letter argued, however, that Greene’s unauthorized usage of the track for political promotions rather directly violates federal copyright laws. Twitter took down the video, and Dr. Dre — whose given name is Andre Young — also commented. “I don’t license my music to politicians, especially someone as divisive and hateful as this one,” he told TMZ.
Greene was predictably dismissive, accusing the singer of glorifying what she characterized as violence and the “thug life,” whatever that’s supposed to mean. “While I appreciate the creative chord progression, I would never play your words of violence against women and police officers, and your glorification of the thug life and drugs,” she said, also according to TMZ. If she’s that opposed to Dr. Dre as an artist, why did she put up a promotional clip that used his music? According to the same outlet, Greene herself said she was locked out of Twitter, where a message in place of the video she originally posted said the platform took action in response to a report from the copyright owner. Restrictions on using someone else’s intellectual property for direct and personal gain, even if in passing, do seem relatively difficult to just miss, making it seem like the clip was either the result of incompetence or just not caring about the foundational laws that are relevant.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has been locked out of her Twitter account and her new video has been removed after Dr. Dre took legal action against her for using his music without permission.
His letter is amazing. pic.twitter.com/Vk12JSRByK
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) January 9, 2023
