Apparently, as a campaign ploy Claypool launched www.JoeBerrios.com and has populated the potentially cybersquatting website with a slew of very unflattering quotes about Berrios’s term at the Board of Review.

The website pulls quotes like that from The Better Government Association about Berrios, stating “Pay-to-Play Personified”. It features a video entitled “JOE BERRIOS SUPPORTED STROGER’S SALES TAX INCREASE” purportedly with “Joe Berrios in his own words supporting a doubling of Todd Stroger’s sales tax.”

JoeBerrios.com also displays this paragraph scathingly depicting Berrios during his tenure as chair of the Cook County Board of Review;

“During his tenure as chair of the Cook County Board of (Tax) Review, Berrios has accepted millions in campaign contributions from tax appeal lawyers, corporations, and individuals, and in return reduced their property taxes and increased the tax burden for average Cook County taxpayers. His “eminently unethical” behavior has shocked newspapers, government watchdogs, and elected officials for decades, earning him the title “Pay-to-Play Personified” from the Better Government Association.”

The Huffington Post article also speculates on Berrios’s ability to regain control of the domain name that directly incorporates his own name;

“As for the website, it seems like Berrios will have little recourse. Hillary Clinton was able to reclaim HillaryClinton.com when the owner of the site didn’t show up at a legal arbitration meeting. And Meg Whitman was able to persuade the owner of several sites related to her bid for California governor to sell the domains to her.

But it seems unlikely that Berrios will win back his domain through any of those means. In the meantime, his campaign site is located at ElectJoeBerrios.com.”

Davy focused primarily on Michigan’s Representative Pete Hoekstra whose domain name, petehoekstra.com, is being used to host a campaign against the Representative. If you go to petehoekstra.com, the first thing you’ll likely see is “Pete Hoekstra (.com) Dangerous, Polarizing & Bad for Michigan!”Petehoekstra.com is currently registered to Ben Padnos, formerly a resident of Holland, MI.

When asked to comment on his ownership of petehoekstra.com, Padnos commented that, “something as basic as owning your own name — I mean it’s like check box number one if you are running for political office,” Padnos further stated that, “anybody who doesn’t go out and do that, in my eyes there are serious questions of judgment.”

Critics of Padnos have accused him of cybersquatting, but as of yet Padnos’ website campaign against Pete Hoekstra is still up and running.

Davy also highlighted the problems politicians face in gaining control of their own domain names. He interviewed Sarah Pearson, a residential fellow at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford, who commented that, “without a trademark registration, the politician has to prove they have common law trademark rights,” she said. “A name is not automatically a trademark. Rather, it must be used in commerce in connection with goods and services.”

To avoid this happening to you, register your name now as a domain name, if not now, at least register your name before embarking on any major (or minor) political or public venture.

Free Consultation with an Experienced Cybersquatting Lawyer: If you are a person whose name is famous or an agent, talent scope or agency representing a political figure, contact a Traverse Legal attorney today, or call us directly for 24×7 assistance at (866) 936-7447.

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