Jersey Publisher Sues Sarah Palin Over 9/11 Photo

Written by Devin McGinley

Publisher North Jersey Media Group filed a lawsuit in federal court last week against Sarah Palin, claiming that the conservative activist and former Alaska governor infringed the company’s copyright on an iconic Sept. 11 photograph, according to an Associated Press report.

The suit alleges that Palin’s political action committee, SarahPAC, posted the now iconic photo of three firefighters hoisting a flag at Ground Zero to its Facebook page and website without the company’s permission, according to the report.

Since the suit, filed in Manhattan Federal Court Friday, the photo appears to have been removed from both the Facebook page and PAC website.

“It is important to enforce our copyright on this iconic photo. When neither Palin nor representatives from her PAC responded to our demand letter to remove the photograph, we were left with no choice but to seek redress in court,” Jennifer A. Borg, NJMG vice president, said in a report by The Record, which the company publishes.

The lawsuit asks the PAC to stop using the photo, as well as seeking damages. Palin has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.

In addition to The Record, NJMG publishes the Herald News and over 40 weekly local papers.