Newt Gingrich has just been sued by the band “Survivor,” for the campaign’s illegal use of the song, “Eye of the Tiger,” according to reports in Variety and TMZ.
Variety’s Ted Johnson writes:
One of the members of the band Survivor has sued Newt Gingrich and his campaign for unauthorized use of the song “Eye of the Tiger” at campaign events.
The suit, first reported by TMZ, is only the latest litigation that musicians have taken against candidates, typically Republicans. During the last cycle, Jackson Browne sued the McCain campaign over the use of his music in a commercial spot, and Tom Petty’s attorneys sent Michele Bachmann’s campaign a cease and desist letter last year demanding that she stop using “American Girl.”
This is also not the first time that Gingrich has been hit with legal threats: Last year, an attorney repping Steve Perry of Journey sent Gingrich’s campaign a cease and desist letter to get them to stop playing “Don’t Stop Believin.”
TMZ adds:
Rude Music Inc. — owned by a member of the band Survivor — filed the suit today in federal court in Illinois … claiming Newt has jacked the song made famous in “Rocky III” to push his political agenda.
According to the lawsuit, Newt has been using the song at various political events since 2009.
In the suit, Rude Music claims Gingrich used the song at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2009, 2010 and 2011 … as well as the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in 2010.
RMI claims Gingrich — along with his campaign team, Newt 2012, Inc. — recently usedthe song during a campaign event in Doylestown, Pennsylvania … claiming, “Mr. Gingrich entered the packed Moose Lodge for a speech as the song ‘pulsed,’ according to the the Newt 2012, Inc. website.”
RMI is also suing the American Conservative Union — claiming it has republished various clips featuring Newt and the “Eye of the Tiger” song without permission.
Perhaps Gingrich would like to contact Judy Collins to license her music, instead? It would be more appropriate: