Appeals court rules Trump doesn't have the authority to fire Copyright Office director

WASHINGTON -- A divided appeals court ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump doesn't have the authority to unilaterally remove and replace the director of the U.S. Copyright Office. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted 2-1 to temporarily block Trump's Republican administration from firing Shira Perlmutter as the register of copyrights, who advises Congress on copyright issues. Perlmutter claims Trump fired her in May because he disapproved of advice she gave to Congress in a report related to artificial intelligence . Perlmutter had received an email from the White House notifying her that “your position as the Register of Copyrights and Director at the U.S. Copyright Office is terminated effective immediately,” her office said.