Anti-P2P lawmaker gets top Senate spot

Orrin Hatch, the senator who once said the recording industry should be able to destroy music pirates' PCs, will be in charge of a new Senate panel responsible for writing copyright laws.

Hatch, a Utah Republican, on Thursday was formally named chairman of the Senate Intellectual Property subcommittee. It's responsible for overseeing the U.S. Copyright Office and drafting legislation and treaties relating to copyright and patent laws.

Sen. Orrin Hatch

A few years ago, Hatch was one of the more vocal Washington critics of the Recording Industry Association of America. He urged the RIAA to be more flexible in licensing music to online distributors and even called a federal appeals court decision against Napster "shortsighted from a policy perspective."

But when Napster's progeny arose in the form of peer-to-peer networks, Hatch's political views seemed to flip-flop. Instead of defending novel--and disruptive--technologies, Hatch became one of their most vocal political antagonists.

Last year, he and Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont introduced the "Induce Act," an anti-file-swapping bill that foes said could target products like Apple Computer's iPod. Leahy is the senior Democrat on Hatch's new subcommittee.

The Induce Act drew stiff opposition from Internet service providers, the electronics industry, and even some conservative groups that had typically been Hatch's allies. As a result, it was not enacted last year.

"They had this on the fast track," said Gigi Sohn, president of advocacy group Public Knowledge. "Then they said, 'OK, let's sit down and try to negotiate.' My sense is that they've learned their lesson: If you try to pass legislation that gives Hollywood control over technology, it's going to fall flat on its face." (Neither Hatch nor Leahy has reintroduced the Induce Act in the new congressional session that began this year.)

Hatch had been chairman of the Senate Judiciary panel but could not retain his seat because of term limits. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., became the current chairman and created the new subcommittee for Hatch to run.

In 2003, Hatch gained some unwanted notoriety when he suggested during a hearing that copyright holders should be allowed to remotely destroy the computers of music pirates. "I'm interested in doing that," Hatch said. "That may be the only way you can teach someone about copyright...That would be the ultimate way of making sure" no more copyright is infringed.

A day later, Hatch slightly backpedaled from that statement in a brief press release saying: "I do not favor extreme remedies--unless no moderate remedies can be found."

Hatch is also an amateur songwriter of music with titles like "Our Gracious Lord" and "Climb Inside His Loving Arms."

[bobby_brady]

Hatch is a thief, RIAA paid him off

He's accepting pay offs from the RIAA. Hatch is a loser. What human waste he is.

Simple politics, unfortunately.

I hate to say it, but I doubt he got money from the RIAA.. This all just boils down to simple politics.

The Republican platform is well known to be pro-business which means they will likely uphold, reinforce and supplement the current pro-business copyright law already in existance. This isn't a bash on Repubs, or a way to say Dems are better, just plain modern politics.

I think it's more likely that he got pressured by fellow republicans to steer more towards the "party line" when he flip-flopped.

[bobby_brady]

How about we go destroy Hatch's

little government secure "job"? What a POS this guy is! He leeches off the public system. I'd like to see this guy brought to justice. Hatch belongs in prison, at best!

[System Tyrant]

Mr. Hatch

Utah put him in office. Utah can take him out of office. All the whining in the world isn't going to change that (unless you live in Utah).

If you want to help bring him down (and don't live in Utah) then bring out the truth. SHOW the people of Utah that he is undeserving of the office he holds. Flood your own Senetors with e-mail asking them to not let his proposal go through. It's obvious to us that he doesn't have a clue about what he is doing in this case. He is just following orders from the RIAA and MPAA. The only way to win and make a point is to get the people of Utah to vote him out and your own Senetors to not vote for anything he does.

Kick Him Out

Yeah, I agree please people lets get this guy out of office.

[Jim Harmon]

Grassroots in Utah

I live in Utah, and am doing my best to expose how Sen. Hatch seems to have lost touch with his constituency. Unfortunately, around here it seems as if all it takes to be elected is to be backed by the Republican Party.

(Sen. Hatch is the reason why I am ashamed to admit I'm a Republican - Prez Bush doesn't help much either)

[John Kuzak]

way to win

http://www.analogstereo.com/nakamichi/nakamichi_582_service_manual.htm

Orrin Hatch

If he wants to destroy PC's to guarantee copyrights, then he is a "Hacker" promoter.

P2P is a civilian right, if I want to give or share, that is my right.

Bye Bye, Hatch!

Orrin Hatch

If he wants to destroy PC's to guarantee copyrights, then he is a "Hacker" promoter.

P2P is a civilian right, if I want to give or share, that is my right and my problem.

Bye Bye, Hatch!