Judge tosses CPAC suit against former staffers

Court dismisses claims of copyright infringement, computer misuse, one week before annual gathering in suburban DC

A U.S. District Court judge on Thursday dismissed a sweeping lawsuit CPAC filed against former staffers after they created a competing conservative organization that scores lawmakers on their votes. 

American Conservative Union, CPAC’s parent organization, failed to provide substantial evidence to support its claims of copyright infringement — including one complaint of their shared used of a star in their logos — and allegations of pilfering of proprietary legislative scoring methodology, the judge in the Eastern District of Virginia ruled. 

However, District Court Judge Rossie Alston Jr. left open the door for ACU to file an amended complaint by March 3rd if they want to focus on claims the staff wrongly collected paid time off on their way out the door. 

“We are pleased with the court’s ruling,” Timothy Hyland, who represented the former staffers in the case, told 24sight News. 

CPAC staff and its outside counsel, Republican lawyer Charles Spies, did not respond to requests for comment sent Friday and Saturday.

The ruling comes just a week before CPAC is scheduled to host its annual conference in suburban Washington.