RNC Didn’t Infringe Photographer’s Copyright, Montana Judge Rules | PDNPulse

The Republican National Committee has fended off a copyright claim in Montana, convincing a judge that unauthorized use of an image to criticize a Democratic candidate was fair use. In a decision that will upset photographers and copyright advocates, Montana judge Dana L. Christensen sided with the Republican National Committee (RNC) in a 2017 lawsuit filed by Missoula, Montana-based photographer Erika Peterman. Peterman accused the RNC of willful copyright infringement for their use of Peterman’s photo of congressional candidate Rob Quist in a mailer that criticized and mocked Quist, a Democrat. The RNC argued fair use, and the court agreed, saying the RNC had transformed the work and had not undermined Peterson’s ability to profit from the image in the future.