Conservative political commentator Steven Crowder announced his intention to pursue legal action against CNN, digital media company Jubilee, and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. The threatened lawsuit centers on allegations of trademark infringement concerning Crowder's widely recognized "Change My Mind" concept. The announcement was made by Crowder on Thursday, October 15, following a televised town hall event held the previous Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas.
"Well, I guess we should officially announce that we’re suing." Steven Crowder, Political Commentator
The town hall, moderated by CNN anchor Erin Burnett, featured Talarico engaging directly with voters on a range of contentious political issues. Discussions during the event reportedly covered topics such as abortion, immigration, energy policy, and government corruption. Participants were given opportunities to challenge the candidate's positions and engage in direct dialogue.
According to Crowder, the controversy arose from CNN's and Jubilee's use of the phrase "Change My Mind" to describe segments of the event that involved direct interactions between Talarico and the voters. Crowder, host of the popular political program "Louder with Crowder," argued that the segment's format and the use of the specific phrase closely resembled his long-running political debate series.
Crowder's "Change My Mind" series typically involves the commentator setting up a table in a public location, frequently on college campuses, with a sign displaying a controversial position alongside the words "Change My Mind." Members of the public are then invited to approach the table and engage in a debate about the stated position. This distinctive format has become widely recognizable across various online platforms, with images and videos from the series circulating extensively on social media and inspiring numerous adaptations and parodies.
Crowder's company, LWC IP Assets LLC, holds a federal trademark registration for the phrase "CHANGE MY MIND." The trademark application was filed on July 1, 2019, and officially registered on January 14, 2020. This registration provides legal protection for certain entertainment services, specifically including online programs that feature political and comedic commentary.
During his broadcast on Thursday, Crowder directly addressed the situation, stating, "Well, I guess we should officially announce that we’re suing." He accused the organizations of capitalizing on an idea he popularized through his program. Crowder further alleged that CNN repeatedly used the trademarked phrase during Wednesday's town hall broadcast, referencing "Change My Mind" at least 10 times, according to reports.
The conservative host expressed his team's intent to investigate the extent to which CNN and Jubilee may have financially benefited from the alleged unauthorized use of both the phrase and the associated format. "We need to find out who flagrantly disregarded the trademark, who flagrantly plagiarized, who profited off of it most, and for what degree of time," Crowder stated.
He also raised concerns about the alleged use of his intellectual property to advance specific political messaging. "Once you rip it off, and you profit, and you use it for propaganda, I now have a problem," Crowder added, indicating that the perceived political angle of the alleged infringement was a significant motivating factor for his planned legal action.
While Crowder has publicly announced his intention to pursue legal action, the provided information does not confirm that a formal lawsuit has already been filed in federal court. A registered trademark grants legal protection for particular commercial uses of a phrase, but it does not automatically prohibit every instance of those words or similar discussion formats. The determination of whether CNN's and Jubilee's actions constitute infringement would depend on the specific circumstances and applicable trademark law, requiring a legal assessment of factors such as likelihood of confusion among consumers.
The dispute emerges as James Talarico is actively campaigning for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, with midterm elections approaching in November. Crowder has not disclosed the specific amount of damages he intends to seek through the potential lawsuit. As of the time of the report, CNN, Jubilee, and James Talarico had not publicly responded to the allegations made by Steven Crowder.
