Former Presidential Aide Sues Kelsey Grammer for Copyright Infringement

Bradley Blakeman, a former aide to President Bush, has filed suit against Kelsey Grammer, his production company, Kevin Costner, and the producers of the film, Swing Vote, alleging key plot points and marketing ideas were used from a pitch that Blakeman delivered to Grammer in 2006, E! Online reports.

Blakeman, who is a former deputy assistant to President Bush, filed the copyright infringement claim on Thursday, in Long Island federal court.

Leaving no potential defendant unscathed, Blakeman has also included the Walt Disney Company, Touchstone Pictures, Treehouse Films, director Joshua Michael Stern, screenwriter Jason Richman, and various producers in the lawsuit.

Blakeman claims he met with Grammer back in 2006 and gave him a screenplay titled "Go November."

The plaintiff claims Grammer agreed to develop the project and to star as the main character, the sitting Republican president. According to Blakeman, the character is too similar to the role Grammer plays in Swing Vote.

Blakeman has stated that the film contains "dozens of identical events that occur in virtually the same sequence, as well as numerous other similarities regarding characters, plot and tone," as his original screenplay."

The suit alleges that, "The substantial similarities . . . are remarkable and can only be explained by a deliberate copying on the part of the defendants."

"Essentially, except for the character names . . . the entire concept of Swing Vote . . . was taken from the copyrighted work."

Neither Costner nor the production companies named in the suit have commented on the legal action. However, Grammer's spokesman has spoken out at what he deemed not only a "frivolous" suit but a "waste of time."

"I am not sure why Kelsey was even named in this suit," Stan Rosenfield said. "He was an actor who signed on to the project after the script was written."

Blakeman is seeking unspecified damages.