🔗 Share this article

The former leader's government on Monday petitioned the US Supreme Court to allow the termination of the head of the US Copyright Office.

This urgent request comes about six weeks after a federal appellate court in Washington decided that the official, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be solely dismissed.

Almost four weeks prior, the full District of Columbia circuit court refused to review that decision.

This legal matter is the latest in a line of disputes related to presidential power to appoint preferred heads at government agencies.

The High Court has generally allowed such actions, even as legal challenges proceed.

However, this specific case concerns an office inside the Library of Congress. Perlmutter serves as the register of copyrights and also counsels Congress on copyright matters.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, argued in the legal document that, despite ties to Congress, the register “exercises administrative authority” in regulating copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was fired in May because the ex-leader disagreed with advice she gave to Congress in a document related to AI.

She allegedly got an message from the White House informing her that her role was “terminated starting immediately,” as stated by her staff.

A divided appeals court panel decided that Perlmutter could keep her job while the case proceeds.

“The Executive's alleged blatant meddling with the duties of a Legislative Branch official, as she carries out legally authorized duties to counsel Congress, appears to be a breach of the separation of powers,” wrote Judge Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Judge J Michelle Childs joined the opinion. Both justices were appointed to the appeals court by Democratic leader Joe Biden.

In opposition, Justice Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, wrote that Perlmutter “exercises executive power in a variety of manners.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have contended that she is a well-known copyright specialist. She has served as copyright director since former librarian of Congress Carla Hayden selected her to the role in October 2020.

The former president appointed assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to replace Hayden at the Library of Congress. The administration had fired Hayden following criticism from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “woke” agenda.