Obama Campaign Nets Partial Victory Against Printer
WASHINGTON, DC—Demstore.com, a promotional products Website owned by Washington Promotions & Printing, has been barred by a judge here from selling items with the Obama Campaign's signature 'O' logo. The campaign had taken Demstore.com to court because it was allegedly selling counterfeit t-shirts, bumper sticks and buttons with the trademarked rising sun logo, the blue "O."
According to The Associated Press, Judge Emmet Sullivan reserved judgment on whether the Website should be prevented from hawking merchandise that used a distinctive "O" as part of 2012 references. While the Obama Campaign has applied for a trademark on the 2012 logo, it has not been granted thus far.
In arguments, lawyers for the Obama Campaign pointed out it made approximately $37 million from sales of merchandise with the "O" logo, and it loses money when a buyer purchases similar goods from Demstore.com. The campaign also loses the ability to collect information from the buyers when sales are made to Demstore.com.
A lawyer for Demstore.com argued that his client's customers are mainly groups and organizations that buy in bulk quantities to distribute.
The Obama Campaign had filed a nearly identical suit against Demstore.com last October in Chicago, but voluntarily dismissed it after Washington Promotions & Printing argued the lawsuit was improperly brought in Illinois, according to AP.