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 - June 23, 2009

'The View's' Elisabeth Hasselbeck Sued Over Copyright Infringement

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is being sued by a woman who is claiming that the 'View' host plagiarized her idea for a book about celiac disease

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is being sued by a Massachusetts woman who is claiming that the “View” host plagiarized her idea for a book about celiac disease.

Self-published author Susan Hasset filed a federal lawsuit in Boston claiming that Hasselbeck’s new book “The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide” infringed on her copyrights for her own book “Living With Celiac Disease.”

According a report in the Boston Herald, Hasset claims she sent Hasselbeck, 32, a copy of her book in April of last year, in addition to a homemade cooking video, a business card, personal note and newspaper clipping. Hasselbeck published her book last month.

PHOTOS: Click here to see Elisabeth Hasselbeck through the years.

In the letter to Hasselbeck and ABC and obtained by TMZ, Hasset’s lawyer Richard C. Cunha breaks down “exhaustive list” of similarities between the books, including phrases and chapter titles.

Of the list, Cunha says “without any further proof [it] would allow a judge or jury to reasonably conclude that Elisabeth Hasselbeck plagiarized Susan Hasset’s book.”

Hasselbeck discovered she suffered from Celiac disease – an autoimmune disorder linked to gluten proteins in wheat, barley and rye – upon her return from filming the reality show “Survivor.”

A rep for Hasselbeck was not immediately available for comment.

RELATED: Click here for more from the Boston Herald.

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