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Supreme Court Rejects California Man's Attempt to Trademark Trump T-Shirts
SFGate ^ | June 13, 2024 | David G. Savage

Posted on 06/13/2024 12:48:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway

The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a California attorney's bid to trademark the phrase "Trump Too Small" for his exclusive use on T-shirts.

The justices said trademark law forbids the use of a living person's name, including former President Donald Trump.

The vote was 9-0.

Trump was not a party to the case of Vidal vs. Elster, but in the past he objected when businesses and others tried to make use of his name.

Concord, Calif., attorney Steve Elster said he was amused in 2016 when Republican presidential candidates exchanged comments about the size of Trump's hands during a debate. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump had mocked as "Little Marco," asked Trump to hold up his hands, which he did. "You know what they say about guys with small hands," Rubio said.

After Trump won the election, Elster decided to sell T-shirts with the phrase "Trump Too Small," which he said was meant to criticize Trump's lack of accomplishments on civil rights, the environment and other issues.

Legally he was free to do so, but the U.S. Patent and Copyright Office denied his request to trademark the phrase for his exclusive use.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
Supreme Court to consider whether ‘Trump Too Small’ can be trademarked without ex-president’s permission
1 posted on 06/13/2024 12:48:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Imagine - spending 7 years of your life obsessing about the size of Trump’s hands - thinking you are going to rich from a business based on this obsession, and even taking your scheme to the Supreme Court.

LOSER!


2 posted on 06/13/2024 12:53:41 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: nickcarraway

All this fuss over a pretty lame line


3 posted on 06/13/2024 12:53:55 PM PDT by j.havenfarm (23 years on Free Republic, 12/10/23! More than 8,000 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: nickcarraway

9-0....................A squeaker.............


4 posted on 06/13/2024 12:56:51 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: nickcarraway

They’ve unleased the whirwind!


5 posted on 06/13/2024 1:04:11 PM PDT by Fido969
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To: nickcarraway

I’m against this.


6 posted on 06/13/2024 1:13:04 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Trump's experience? We're next.)
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To: PGR88

He can still make money off the phrase, he can just not do it exclusively and keep others from using the phrase.

Same as Let’s Go Brandon. The Trademark office would never give someone exclusive use of the phrase. Problem with cases like these is they get defined by the semantics when they are really about details not dictated by the semantics as is the case here.

Same with the abortion pill case. The Supreme Court ruling had nothing to do with access to the pill, but whether the parties had standing to sue.


7 posted on 06/13/2024 1:13:16 PM PDT by Steven Scharf
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To: Lazamataz

Ha ha ha ha! I think that’s your pat answered today!


8 posted on 06/13/2024 1:20:55 PM PDT by rlmorel (In Today's Democrat America, The $5 Dollar Bill is the New $1 Dollar Bill.)
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