James Talarico Faces Legal Challenges Over Campaign Event
During a town hall meeting in Fort Worth on Wednesday, James Talarico portrayed himself as a moderate candidate, expressing his support for border security and capitalism while asserting he does not aim to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
However, it remains uncertain if Texas voters will be convinced by Talarico’s presentation. Regardless of the election’s outcome, the event’s hosts may find themselves facing significant repercussions.
Conservative host Steven Crowder’s company, LWC Assets IP, LLC, initiated legal action against CNN and Jubilee on Monday. The lawsuit claims the media outlets knowingly exploited Crowder’s “Change My Mind” trademark to promote Talarico’s Senate campaign and derive financial benefits from Crowder’s established audience.
“When original ideas run dry, you can’t just take from those you’ve tried to silence for years,” Crowder remarked in a statement to Blaze News.
Crowder has utilized the “Change My Mind” concept since October 2017, when he first challenged passersby at an outdoor table to discuss their views on the Second Amendment.
Since then, Crowder’s company has not only registered “Change My Mind” as an active trademark but also produced over 80 videos following that format.
The lawsuit accuses CNN and Jubilee of attempting to assist Talarico in gaining favor with Republicans and conservatives, despite his far-left Democratic stance, by associating him with established conservative symbols and messaging.
Talarico’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Blaze News.
According to the plaintiffs, during the town hall, participants engaged in one-on-one discussions about contentious issues in a format deliberately designed to mimic Crowder’s “Change My Mind” series.
The legal filing further asserts that the event hosts not only referenced the trademark but also “appropriated the Mark itself, along with the specific format and branding that LWC is recognized for.”
Throughout the event, the phrase “CHANGE MY MIND” was displayed behind Talarico as he debated various topics, including abortion—on which he claimed the “Bible is silent”—and the national debt.
Moreover, CNN continuously referred to the segment as “Change My Mind,” leading Crowder to tweet, “C’mon. At least pretend like you aren’t overtly trying to rip me off.”
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants attempted to create a misleading impression that Crowder’s company endorsed or was associated with Talarico’s campaign, potentially jeopardizing the goodwill associated with Crowder’s trademark.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, the lawsuit specifically charges CNN and Jubilee with trademark infringement, counterfeit trademark use, and trademark dilution. It seeks an injunction against the media companies’ continued usage of the trademark, monetary damages, a “reasonable royalty” for the trademark’s use, and a return of any profits made by the media companies as a result.
As of now, Blaze News has not received comments from either Jubilee or CNN.
This lawsuit comes shortly after Crowder expressed on X that “Change My Mind and its hundreds of millions of plays will not be used to help James Talarico ruin Texas.”
