®udy!
Rudy Giuliani has taken a tip from Harlan Ellison and trademarked his name. The Daily News doesn’t make it clear if he’s just slapped a ™ after it, or ponied up the money for a full ®, but I think it’s a mistake to assume as Steve Benen does that this is just about Giuliani’s consulting business. The Trademark Dilution Act became law in October, and it allows an injunction against infringing actions “by reason of dilution by tarnishment, the person against whom the injunction is sought willfully intended to harm the reputation of the famous mark.” Speak ill of Rudy® (or Rudy™), and you’ll be shut down. —Oh, sure, there’s an exemption carved out for “all forms of news reporting and news commentary,” but who the hell knows what that is, anymore?
Oh, it was ever the way. Giuliani spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on blatantly unconstitutional lawsuits to get New Yorkers to stop saying mean stuff about him. I totally see that working when the wurlitzer goes after him.
Well, no, actually I see him melting down and having one of his legendary tantrums and ensuring that he’ll end up dropping out of the race in the ugliest possible way, but I’m sure he’ll sue a bunch of poor folks before that happens.