From Wired via ShortNews.com:
“Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) introduced a bill that would allow the Justice Department to pursue civil cases against file sharers, again making it easier for law enforcement to punish people trading copyright music over peer-to-peer networks. They dubbed the bill ‘Protecting Intellectual Rights Against Theft and Expropriation Act of 2004,’ or the Pirate Act.’ …. So far in 2004, Leahy has received $178,000 in campaign contributions from the entertainment industries — the second-biggest source of donations to Leahy behind lawyers. Hatch has received $152,360.”
Keep in mind that it is an election year, when many bad laws have traditionally been introduced in order to secure votes.
