FBI? Meet the law.

The FBI is apparently trying to keep Wikipedia from using its seal in the article for same, and are blatantly misconstruing the relevant laws in their saber-rattling letter to the Foundation.

Fortunately, it turns out that the Foundation has actual, learned attorneys onstaff, who told the Feds to get stuffed.

Other organizations might simply back down. But Wikipedia sent back a politely feisty response, stating that the bureau’s lawyers had misquoted the law. “While we appreciate your desire to revise the statute to reflect your expansive vision of it, the fact is that we must work with the actual language of the statute, not the aspirational version” that the F.B.I. had provided.

Translation: “What you wish the law was has no bearing here.”

Michael Godwin, the general counsel of the Wikimedia Foundation, wrote, “we are prepared to argue our view in court.” He signed off, “with all appropriate respect.”

Translation: “DIAF”.

It gets even cooler when you realize who wrote the Wikimedia Foundation’s response.

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