Jackson Browne doesn’t want John McCain running on anything fueled by his lyrics.
The singer-songwriter sued McCain and the Ohio and national Republican committees in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday, accusing them of using his song “Running on Empty” without his permission.
The lawsuit claims the song’s use was an infringement of his copyright and will lead people to conclude he endorses McCain. The suit says Browne is a lifelong liberal who is as well-known for being “an advocate for social and environmental justice” as for his music.
According to the suit, the song plays in the background of an advertisement that mocks Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s contention that if U.S. drivers got regular tuneups and drove on properly inflated tires, they could save the same amount of oil that would be gained by offshore drilling. Robert Bennett, chairman of the Ohio party, said the ad was pulled when Browne objected. The Associated Press
