September 7, 2021
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As reported by Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz, a California federal court recently granted a permanent injunction against Political Media, Inc. and Constitutional Rights PAC (“CRPAC”) after a complaint was filed by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute (the “Reagan Foundation”).
The Reagan Foundation owns trademark registrations for the mark RONALD REAGAN in various forms, as well as the RONALD REAGAN mark stylized in the form of the late President’s signature.
The Reagan Foundation filed the complaint, which alleges trademark infringement, among other things, after the defendants circulated a newsletter with an image of President Reagan and President Trump soliciting monthly donations to “Join the Trump Reagan Club”.
The Regan Foundation’s suit claimed that the defendants’ use of President Reagan’s name and image in connection with their website and activities “clearly intended to foster an association with President Reagan and to create the impression…that [the] Defendants’ products and services are endorsed by the Reagan Foundation”.
The injunction prohibits both defendants from infringing upon or using any mark confusingly similar to any trademark owned by the Ronald Reagan Foundation, using Ronald Reagan’s name, image, or likeness for commercial fundraising purposes, and advertising or selling material containing the RONALD REAGAN mark or persona.
Authors: Rebecca Ro and Sam Galway
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