Palin's Publisher Sues Gawker Over Leaked Book Excerpts

NEW YORK — The publisher of Sarah Palin's forthcoming book filed a lawsuit against Gawker Media on Friday for leaking pages of "America By Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag" before its release next week.

The legal complaint was filed Friday in federal court in Manhattan, said a spokeswoman for HarperCollins Publishers. The filing came two days after Gawker published images of 21 of the book's pages and its dedication page. In response, Palin tweeted, "Isn't that illegal?"

Her publisher contends it is. The lawsuit asks that Gawker be banned from what it terms "further copyright infringement" and that Gawker deliver the source material to the publisher so it can be destroyed. HarperCollins is also seeking financial damages.

Gawker did not immediately respond to e-mails seeking comment Friday evening, but an item published the day before and titled "Sarah Palin Is Mad at Us for Leaking Pages From Her Book" defended the blog's actions and linked to websites defining the fair use doctrine of copyright law.

The blog was not the first site to publish excerpts from the book, which has been billed as a tribute to American values, but it refused to take them down after receiving a letter demanding that it do so, the lawsuit said. The Associated Press bought a copy of the book ahead of its Nov. 23 release date.

In it, Palin praises Simon Cowell and the movies "Juno," "Knocked Up" and "40-Year-Old Virgin." She accuses President Barack Obama of reflecting "a stark lack of faith in the American people."

Palin's first book, the memoir "Going Rogue," has sold more than 2 million copies.

Comments

[verylargehat]

01:17 PM on 11/26/2010

I am so sick of conservative republicans talking about their faith, especially when they're being critical of other people.

To politicians of all stripes: please keep it to yourselves. All I ask is for good governance. I can speak to clergy about faith.

[Madagain]

01:59 PM on 11/26/2010

Well said verylargehat, we all know their religion is only for show, and a kind if fish hook anyway. f&f

[JavaManiac]

11:46 AM on 11/26/2010

So, what is Palin going to do this year for her book tour? Is the woman ever with her "deIinquent" children? Poor things are running amok in the tundra while she signs books for T-baggin chubbies in the Red States

[JustAnotherTalkingHead]

12:35 AM on 11/25/2010

I think most musicians would be ecstatic if their music leaked only 4 days before release date.

[noob1]

01:24 PM on 11/24/2010

First you're telling me she knows how to read, now she rights? awesome.

[noob1]

01:25 PM on 11/24/2010

typo writes. darn!

[figure8]

12:44 PM on 11/24/2010

Haven't seen any coverage of long lines and ATM machines going wacko........where's the tour bus, bodyguards, bendie straws? didn't Palin have a book release this week?

[mishte]

12:36 AM on 11/25/2010

Hey, I have to speak up for those of us who are klutzes - bendy straws are a godsend for the poise/grace/balance challenged among us, of which I am a card carrying member. Give me a bottle, can or glass without a straw, and I'll show you a stain on some part of my person - sooner rather than later.

Bendable straws are also very cool tools for lipstick protection and while I can't verify it, I believe they help prevent tooth decay as well.

So this is the one (and only) issue I'm on Palin's side for.

Hm. Writing that was distinctly uncomfortable. I'm just bummed that bendable straws now have a bad rap. They're (Cenk impersonation:) AWESOME...!! : )

[bluguy8]

12:25 PM on 11/24/2010

HP enough. is SP your partner ? way too much SP coverage.

[ConjureMan]

11:42 AM on 11/24/2010

Dear Huff-Po: For God's sake isn't one picture per issue, enough of this woman. Bring back Megan Fox puh-leeeez!

[GenXer]

07:57 AM on 11/24/2010

I see, just another conservative for tort reform, until she wants a lawyer. A frivolous lawsuit over a frivolous book.

[lizipoo]

10:48 PM on 11/23/2010

Very clever of the publisher.  Let dribbles of a doomed but controversial book trickle down to a source that can be easily 'villified' later.   The blogs and websites will then take over and drum up sales you could only dream about.   And, all basically for free compared to what the usual author/publisher team has to mount.
 
Hey Harper, we knew what would be in any SP effort long before you set ink to paper, she gives it away for free on FB and Twitter.    JK Rowling was able to keep a lid on her book releases despite the legions of hopefuls trying to get an early glimpse, are you admitting you aren't as smart as that wonderful woman?  HarperCollins should be ashamed of their dubious methods rather than trying to waste the time of those at Gawker et al who fell for your ruse.

[PWM]

05:04 PM on 11/23/2010

$arah is so disfunctional, that she whinned on a reality show that she does not have privacy.

[Max Shaw]

03:52 PM on 11/23/2010

I think the publisher should be sued for even allowing her to put out another book.

[SongSinger]

05:13 AM on 11/23/2010

Mrs. Obama’s spoke at a 2008, campaign rally in Madison, WI, where she spoke of Americans being “unified around some basic common issues”.

Palin lied in her latest "not written by her" book about what Mrs. Obama actually said.

According to Palin "Michelle Obama never felt proud of her country until her husband won the Presidential election". This is an outright lie. Mrs. Oama made her speech BEFORE the election. I can't believe that the publisher let something so easily debunked slip by. Maybe including the lie was deliberate.

Mrs. Obama: "What we have learned over this year is that hope is making a comeback. It is making a comeback. And let me tell you something–for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am REALLY proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction, and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment. I’v seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic common issues, and it’s made me proud".

Afterward, she further clarified her remarks by noting that she was referencing the “record number” of young voters participating in the political process in the 2008 campaign: "For the first time in my lifetime, I am seeing people rolling up their sleeves in way that I haven’t seen ........ ?

You get the picture.

Lying for Palin is so easy.

[grf67]

10:18 PM on 11/22/2010

What difference does it make? palin supporters can't read anyway.

[Madagain]

02:01 PM on 11/26/2010

Right, can't or don't, it's all the same.

[FerrellGummitt]

06:02 PM on 11/22/2010

Sarah Palin won the first round.

From Big Journalism:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9JKCH301&show_article=1

Another interesting article from Big Hollywood on Sarah Palin bashing:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2010/11/22/pfaad-all-jokes-targeting-sarah-palin-must-stop-for-the-children/

There will be a pop quiz tomorrow on both of these.

[WiltonDiary]

03:55 AM on 11/23/2010

Other than you lack credibility as do your links, what is your point?

Hannah Montana has a huge following and sells lots of books too.

[ATLBravesFan]

04:16 PM on 11/23/2010

The fact that his links include breitbart say enough.

[ATLBravesFan]

04:18 PM on 11/23/2010

P.S. I like your Hannah Montana point. Nice! :)

[moneyman1]

05:56 PM on 11/22/2010

how to get free publicity - sue somebody to help sell your trashy books !!