University of Illinois alumnus Ted O’Malley is being sued by his alma mater for manufacturing and selling “Make Illinois Great Again” T-shirts.
A trademark lawsuit was filed against the Park Ridge native by the University Board of Trustees in March. According to the suit, O’Malley used the trademark “ILLINOIS” in an illicit manner, “creating confusion in the marketplace as to the origin of the clothing, diluting the University’s marks and creating a false association with the University.”
O’Malley has created a GoFundMe account titled “Make Illinois Great Again LegalFund” in order to help pay his legal fees. As of Thursday afternoon, it had raised about $1,000 of its $50,000 goal.
“The University of Illinois has filed a Federal lawsuit against me and are spending a tremendous amount of Illinois taxpayer dollars to fund a significant legal battle against my ‘Make Illinois Great Again’ T-Shirts,” O’Malley states. “Considering the legal fees that would be needed to defend myself against the University, I am seeking help to fund my legal team to combat their claims.”
His donors seem deeply passionate for his cause, expressing an immense amount of consternation with the university’s seemingly imbecilic trademark policies.
“Wonder how long I can continue to use this logo without being sued?” donor Susan Hale commented.
“We want the chief back,” donor Darin Goodman wrote, referring to the Chief Illiniwek mascot abandoned by the university in 2007.
“This is just so wrong that the University thinks they own the word Illinois,” donor Jennifer Dorsett complained.
O’Malley only sold approximately 150 shirts.
“At Illinois, we vigorously defend all of our trademarks, whether it be the Chief, the word Illinois, U of I, the Block I, the Column I or anything else that would infringe on our marks or confuse consumers,” Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for public affairs at UI, stated in an email.
O’Malley’s attorney Douglas Johnson assures that his client never tried to make it appear as if his products were manufactured or sold by the University of Illinois.
“From what I understand, the true test is whether consumers would be confused as to whether this shirt was sanctioned by the University and I do not think anyone could possibly believe that,” Johnson clarified.
O’Malley’s shirt designs, produced in January, apparently violated a University of Illinois copyright made in 2007.
“I was just trying to parody Make America Great Again with an Illinois version because I’m a passionate alumnus who believes there are many things that need to be improved, not only at the University, but our state as well.”
