Chelsea Clinton asked a judge on Monday to throw out a $150,000 lawsuit against her children’s book after a writer claimed that she ripped off his idea, according to court papers obtained exclusively by DailyMailTV.
While the mother-of-two has been enjoying the 17-week reign of her feminist book ‘She Persisted’ on the New York Times best sellers list, she has been battling a lawsuit over the copyright of the work since July.
Christopher Janes Kimberley, 56, claims the former first daughter used three of the same women featured in his work and that her publisher ripped off the book’s idea after he sent over his proposal through a Facebook message.
The author filed suit in New York court and is seeking $150,000 in damages, plus the profits of the popular book.
Chelsea Clinton (left) has asked a judge to dismiss a copyright lawsuit against her children’s book ‘She Persisted’, in court papers filed on Monday. Christopher Janes Kimberley (right) claims Clinton copied a section of his book featuring quotes from notable historical figures
The mother-of-two has been enjoying the 17-week reign of ‘She Persisted’ on the New York Times best sellers list, but has been battling the suit since July. Clinton’s lawyers believe Kimberley’s claim is ‘completely irrelevant’ and want it thrown out
Clinton, 37, had her legal team argue the suit should be dismissed because ‘there is not even a hint of substantial similarity’ in Kimberley’s claim, making it ‘completely irrelevant’, according to court papers.
Kimberley’s ‘A Heart is the Part That Makes Boys And Girls Smart’ is three volumes, targeted towards boys and girls of all ages and published in 2013.
The work contains 15 quotes and stories from historical figures such as Helen Keller, Harriet Tubman and Nellie Bly in its ‘Quotable Questionnaire’ section.
He bases the suit on the fact that Clinton’s book features three of the same women who were included in his ‘Quotable Questionnaire’ section, and the quote from Bly is exactly the same in both books.
The quote featured in both works from the American journalist is: ‘I have never written a word that did not come from my heart. I never shall.’
Clinton hits back that her work includes a total of 13 different stories about American women who ‘persisted’ and are notable historical figures.
Kimberley bases the suit on the fact that Clinton’s book features three of the same women who were included in his ‘Quotable Questionnaire’ section, and the quote from Bly is exactly the same in both books. Pictured: Bly’s quote in Clinton’s book
Both children’s books mention Harriet Tubman, Nellie Bly and Helen Keller. Clinton argues her work tells the story and triumph of the women while Kimberley’s book just quotes them
Her team argues books featuring Tubman, Keller and Bly is nothing new and that ‘others have been writing children’s biographies of each of those women for decades.’
Kimberley also accuses Clinton’s publisher, Penguin Random House, of taking his idea.
The man claims he sent off his book proposal via Facebook to the giant publishing company but he never heard back.
He accuses the president of Penguin Young Readers US, Jennifer Loja, of receiving the submission, reading it, taking his idea and giving it to Clinton.
Kimberley alleges Clinton’s book willfully infringed upon his work by including quotes and stories from the women in featured in his.
Earlier this year, he learned about Clinton’s book and said he immediately noticed similarities, specifically from his ‘Quotable Questionnaire’ section.
Clinton has continued to promote her book, tweeting out photos of her press tour, including the Bly quote page, and has even had the work produced in Spanish (pictured )
Clinton’s team argues books featuring Tubman, Keller and Bly is nothing new and that ‘others have been writing children’s biographies of each of those women for decades’
Kimberley fired off a cease and desist to Clinton and the publisher in April before it hit bookstores.
Kimberley’s Facebook page indicates he is critical of former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation, where Chelsea serves as Vice Chair.
He claims ‘A Heart is the Part That Makes Boys And Girls Smart’ has been offered for ‘free to the public’ since 2014 for educational purposes.
Clinton has continued to promote her book, tweeting out photos of her press tour, including the Bly quote page, and has even had the work produced in Spanish.
It currently sits in second place on the New York Times best sellers list, where it has remained in the top number one and two spots for the past 17 weeks.