Tim Carney breaks the news that Derek Khanna, the RSC staffer who authored the memo criticizing the current framework of copyright law, has been fired:

By Saturday afternoon, the RSC had pulled the memo from its website and officially retracted it. The reason, according to two Republicans within the RSC: angry objections from Rep. Marsha Blackburn, whose district abuts Nashville, Tenn. In winning a fifth term earlier in the month, Blackburn received more money from the music industry than any other Republican congressional candidate, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Blackburn’s office did not return calls seeking comment. Lobbyists for the music and movie industries also called the RSC to express disapproval, according to Republicans involved. The staffer who wrote the memo, an ambitious 24-year-old named Derek Khanna, was fired — even before the RSC had decided on other staffing changes for the upcoming Congress. The copyright memo was a main reason.

Needless to say, members weighing in on staffing decisions is very unusual. Also, Blackburn isn’t just on the industry’s take. Her chief of staff is a former RIAA lobbyist.

[Update: Tim Lee says the firing “will only further raise the memo’s profile.” Khanna offered no comment for this piece.]