Send email to Mastercard protesting this assault on fair use in their lawsuit against Nader. They have an email form at:
If that's broken up in your email, you can get to the same contact point from: http://www.mastercard.com/in/questions.html
Article in today's NY TIMES ------------------------------------------------------
August 17, 2000 THE GREEN PARTY MasterCard Sues Nader on Ad
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16 -- MasterCard International Inc. sued Ralph Nader's presidential campaign today, saying a Nader advertisement that parodied one of the company's commercials violated its copyright and trademark.
The suit, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, seeks $5 million in damages and an injunction preventing the campaign from running the advertisement.
The Nader advertisement takes Gov. George W. Bush of Texas and Vice President Al Gore to task on the need for campaign finance reform, and for the exclusion of Mr. Nader from the presidential debates.
The announcer reads, "Grilled tenderloin for fund-raiser: $1,000 a plate. Campaign ads filled with half-truths: $10 million. Promises to special interest groups: over $10 billion. Finding out the truth: priceless. There are some things money can't buy. Without Ralph Nader in the presidential debates, the truth will come in last."
The advertisement, which was first broadcast in early August in major markets throughout the United States, will remain on the air here during the Democratic National Convention, a campaign spokeswoman, Laura Jones, said. The campaign plans a news conference in Washington on Thursday to respond to the lawsuit.
Chris O'Neill, vice president of global marketing for MasterCard, of Purchase, N.Y., said the company had sent a letter to the Nader campaign asking that it stop using the commercial. Discussions tonight between MasterCard's chief executive, Robert W. Selander, and Mr. Nader ended without an agreement, Mr. O'Neill said.
"Our main goal is to stop the ad from running," Mr. O'Neill said.