House Republicans are taking up the #FreeBritney cause
It looks like Britney Spears has some allies in Congress.
Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) have written to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) calling for a hearing focused on "whether Americans are trapped unjustly in conservatorships," per Politico.
The Republican lawmakers' letter references "growing public concern about the use of conservatorships to effectively deprive individuals of personal freedoms at the behest of others through the manipulation of the courts," and they specifically cite Spears' situation.
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"The most striking example is perhaps the case of multi-platinum performing artist Britney Spears," the lawmakers write. "Since 2008, Ms. Spears has been under a court-ordered conservatorship. The facts and circumstances giving rise to this arrangement remain in dispute but involve questionable motives and legal tactics by her father and now-conservator, Jamie Spears."
Spears has been fighting in court to have her father removed as the conservator of her estate, as was recently covered in The New York Times' documentary "Framing Britney Spears." A lawyer for Spears' father recently said he has "worked tirelessly to protect" the pop star and "would love nothing more than to see Britney not need a conservatorship."
The Times' documentary also discussed the #FreeBritney movement of Spears' supporters, who call for the end of the conservatorship, and Gaetz expressed support for these fans on Tuesday, tweeting, "Congress can help #FreeBritney."
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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