The songwriter and liberal political activist Jackson Browne has filed a lawsuit today against Senator John McCain and the Republican National Committee in the United States District Court in Los Angeles, California.

Senator McCain and the Republican Party didn’t have a license to use Browne’s 1978 hit song, “Running on Empty,” in their presidential bid.

Browne’s song is used in a commercial where Senator John McCain mocks the Democratic candidate for President Barack Obama for his suggestion that Americans could save money on gasoline by inflating their cars' tires properly, said Lawrence Iser, Browne's attorney.

In addition to a copyright claim, he suit alleges that by using a song famously associated with Mr. Browne, Senator McCain and the Republican Party violated the United States Lanham Act by falsely suggesting that Mr. Browne has anything to do with them whatsoever.

Not only have Senator McCain and his agents plainly infringed Mr. Browne's copyright in "Running on Empty", but the federal courts have long held that the unauthorized use of a famous singer's voice in a commercial constitutes a false endorsement and a violation of the singer's right of publicity," Iser said.

Browne is an Obama supporter. He also supported Ralph Nader's 2000 presidential bid, John Kerry in 2004 and John Edwards in 2008.

He will release new musical material on Sept. 23. The album is called "Time of the Conqueror" and it will be promoted by a world tour. In 2004, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.