Politics

Hilary Rosen banked millions destroying Napster

Josh Peterson Tech Editor
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Prior to her recent assault on Ann Romney, Hilary Rosen led the war on Napster in 2002.

Publicly available tax documents from 2002, obtained by TheDC, reveal that Rosen received a total compensation package of $2.8 million during her final year as CEO and president of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Rosen earned a salary of $2.65 million dollars for 40 hours of work per week to head the Washington lobby group. In addition, she received $141,512 in contributions to her benefits package from the RIAA that year as well.

Rosen led the Washington lobby group when it sued music file-sharing service Napster in 1999-2001 for its facilitation of music copyright infringement. She left the RIAA in 2003.

A frequent Obama White House visitor, Rosen was on the receiving end of a firestorm of criticism Wednesday and Thursday for her remarks about Ann Romney, the spouse of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Rosen said Ann Romney had “never actually worked a day in her life” and implied she could not relate to the plight of mothers who did not have “means.”

Ann Romney fired back Wednesday evening on Twitter, and again Thursday during a live segment on Fox News Channel’s “America Newsroom.” Romney said that she made a choice to stay at home and raise her sons, and that women across America have expressed their concerns to her during her year on the campaign trail.

Rosen issued an apology to Romney Thursday afternoon. She did not immediately reply to The Daily Caller’s request for comment.

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RIAA 2002 Tax Return — See p. 18 for salary disclosures