GOP Sen. Rubio Yanks PIPA Support
Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL), originally a co-sponsor of the controversial Protect Intellectual Property Act, or PIPA, has withdrawn his support for the widely decried legislation after actually figuring out what the internet is and what it does.
Rubio actually said that valid and large concerns had been raised regarding the effects of PIPA on internet commerce, and the Senator said today that he believed the issue should be reconsidered with a more innovation friendly focus. In a note on his Facebook page, the senator began:
“In recent weeks, we’ve heard from many Floridians about the anti-Internet piracy bills making their way through Congress. On the Senate side, I have been a co-sponsor of the PROTECT IP Act because I believe it’s important to protect American ingenuity, ideas and jobs from being stolen through Internet piracy, much of it occurring overseas through rogue websites in China.”
He continued:
“As a senator from Florida, a state with a large presence of artists, creators and businesses connected to the creation of intellectual property, I have a strong interest in stopping online piracy that costs Florida jobs.”
Rubio concludes:
“Therefore, I have decided to withdraw my support for the Protect IP Act. Furthermore, I encourage Senator Reid to abandon his plan to rush the bill to the floor. Instead, we should take more time to address the concerns raised by all sides, and come up with new legislation that addresses Internet piracy while protecting free and open access to the Internet.”
The post went up early to mid-morning on January 18th, the day sites like Wikipedia and Reddit went dark to protest PIPA and the version in the house, known as SOPA (the Stop Online Piracy Act.) It is not clear whether Rubio was influenced by the tech company protests of the bill, constituents, or a combination of the two.
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About the Author
Kim LaCapria Kim LaCapria is a writer and editor based in New York. A longtime information junkie, she began blogging full-time at the Inquisitr in 2009. Prior to that, she worked as a marketing assistant in the cosmetics and skincare industry. In addition to her writing for fortytwotimes, she also writes for Medacity and The Inquisitr. Kim is also a contributor for SocialNewsDaily, Indyposted, and TotallyMoney. In the past, she contributed to Lipstick and Luxury and managed social media accounts and blogs for several small and mid-sized businesses.
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