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Becky Romero Shocker: "I Agree With Matt Gaetz."

Rep. Matt Gaetz showed up at a rally outside a Los Angeles courthouse Wednesday ahead of the latest conservatorship hearing for Britney Spears.

"Britney has been abused by the media, she has been abused by her grifter father and she's been abused by the American justice system," the Republican Florida lawmaker told the crowd of Spears' supporters.

Gaetz continued, "There's a lot that divides us. But one thing we can all agree on is that Jamie Spears is a dick."

"And he shouldn't make any more decisions regarding his daughter," Gaetz said of Jamie. [Britney] is nearly 40-years-old. She should make her own decisions."

Gaetz denounced Britney Spears' conservatorship, which the 39-year-old has legally been under for 13 years.

"We need to come together to create a federal cause of action, a federal change in the law that will free Britney and the millions of Americans who are impacted by a corrupt guardianship system that empowers people to take advantage of the weak."

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I agree with every word Gaetz said about Spears' conservatorship. Every word.

But perhaps he should also investigate what goes on a little close to home.

FLORIDA has one of the most corrupt conservatorship process in the country.

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Zeusdelight · 61-69, M

I don't agree with him. I have heard Britney say she needs a form of conservatorship just radically different from what it is now.

I would say she would know better than most for herself.

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SW-User

@beckyromero lol

[image/video deleted]

beckyromero · 36-40, FVIP

@SW-User

Poor little baby got his feelings hurt.

SW-User

@beckyromero he's not getting much traction on the post lol

MistyCee

This really scares me, though:" to create a federal cause of action, a federal change in the law."

What happened with Spears really smells rotten, but it seems like there are already likely remedies under both federal and state law. Before we go charging in to federalize a fundamentally state law issue like contractual capacity, I'd like to figure out what happened here.

How long has this conservatorship been going on? And for all this time, Britney has appparently never asked for her own lawyer or really challenged it?

I get why we don't know, and she's entitled to her privacy, but, at the same time, there might be explanations for some of this.

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beckyromero · 36-40, FVIP

@MistyCee

Court-appointee lawyers shouldn't get paid by the conservatee's funds.

It's an obvious conflict of interest.

Court-appointed lawyers love to drag things out. The more they do, the more they get paid. They'll keep it up until they drain a conservatee of her/his funds.

With Britney and her millions they must have thought they hit the lottery.

MistyCee

@beckyromero All lawyers have an interest in drawing things out, whether they're chosen by or paid by the court or directly by the client, tbh. It's fundamental to the practice and it's why there are ethical standards that should be enforced.

Having said that, I'd blame the lawyer for screwing his client before I'd jump on the specific procedure he utilized to do the screwing and get rid of it willy nilly.

Look at it this way. If you've got a really nutso conservative, why should the court not supervise who represents her to make sure she doesn't get ripped off?

I don't know the details of California procedure, much less what happened here, but without knowing that, I don't think you can know what went wrong, or how to best fix it in other cases.

beckyromero · 36-40, FVIP

@MistyCee

Judges of the California Superior Court appoint the lawyer who is supposed to represent the best interests of person under the conservatorship. If a the person under the conservatorship wants to end it, the court-appointed lawyer should file the necessary paperwork for a hearing on the matter. It is then up to the conservator (Britney's dad) to agree or oppose the termination request and the judge will decide the matter.

But if nothing is filed with the court, a conservatorship basically continues until the person dies. This puts the person under the conservatorship at the mercy of the court-appointed attorney, especially if they are not informed of their rights.

During Spears' testimony, she revealed that she didn't even know ending the conservatorship was an option.

"Ma'am, I didn't know I could petition the conservatorship to end it. I'm sorry for my ignorance, but I honestly didn't know that," she told the judge.

She can, and in fact, so can other people on her behalf. California Probate Code Section 1861 states that a petition to end a conservatorship may be filed by the conservator, the conservatee, or "The spouse, or domestic partner, or any relative or friend of the conservatee or other interested person."

("Interested person" is a bit of a squishy term. Kohn says that any fan couldn't necessarily file a petition on Spears' behalf, but it's meant to recognize diverse family and friendship connections that don't require blood or any time of formal recognition.)

From there, Spears would have to show proof that she can take care of herself both personally and financially. Which is the hard part — for instance, how do you show you've been able to pay your bills when you haven't been allowed to pay your bills? Nina Kohn, a law professor at Syracuse University, says that states like California put the burden of proof on the individual. "And that's especially a problem because the person subject to conservatorship or guardianship is already disadvantaged by the bias and stigma created by the initial determination that they lack capacity," she said.

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/jul/12/spears-case-goes-back-to-court-heres-what-could/

Also see recent letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Beccera by Senators Warren and Casey

https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2021.07.01%20Letter%20to%20DOJ%20and%20HHS%20re%20Conservatorship.pdf

Here's a few articles on the abuse that goes on in Florida.

https://cbs12.com/news/cbs12-news-i-team/cbs-12-news-investigates-guardianship-abuse

https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article251223579.html

“Corruption and collusion of judges and lawyers in Delray Beach for financial gain” centered around dubious professional guardian Elizabeth “Betsy” Savitt and her husband, former Circuit Judge Martin Colin, according to a report never before made public by Palm Beach County’s guardianship watchdog.

Once again, a major institution in what is known nationwide as “Corruption County” stands accused of betraying the public trust.

Colin signed orders in Savitt’s cases. The couple’s friend — Circuit Judge David French — oversaw the majority of her cases. And lawyers appointed by Colin steered lucrative guardianships to Savitt while asking Colin to approve tens of thousands of dollars in fees in other cases before him. Other judges approved questionable fees or appointed Savitt under “unusual” circumstances.

Judge David French oversaw 16 of Savitt’s cases and once went on vacation with her and Judge Colin to the Bahamas. . (Damon Higgins/The Palm Beach Post)

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20180910/report-savitt-involved-with-corruption-collusion-of-judges

Every wonder why the mentally indigent on the streets aren't under conservatorships?

They have no assets to create a gravy-train for conservators and court-appointed attorneys.

Wolf90 · M

Gaetz is probably looking for some good press or maybe a way to attract critical thinking about the judiciary given his own possible legal issues (not to mention the big lie he supports) but the situation with Britney is definitely disturbing.

SW-User

She was able to choose her own lawyer today. Big win for her.

SW-User

Wonder what his purpose was being there?

#freebritney

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SW-User

@beckyromero yeah, it's just an odd place for him to show up unless he's trying to get more female support 😖

beckyromero · 36-40, FVIP

@SW-User

unless he's trying to get more female support

Maybe he was on a scouting trip? 😂

SW-User

@beckyromero oh no lol 😂 😰

Pfuzylogic · M

He is just meddling’
If he kept his own nose clean he might have something to say, instead he looks to have an arraignment in his future. 🙄

beckyromero · 36-40, FVIP

@Pfuzylogic

I don't think advocating for the end to Britney's conservatorship is "meddling."

I can't stand Gaetz. But I agree with him on this.

Pfuzylogic · M

@beckyromero
I agree with him.
I know he talks out of both sides of his mouth. It is popular to advocate a position against the conservatorship.
It is image with young ladies for him.

Graylight · 51-55, F

Good look, Gaetz weighing in on a controversial entertainer who we met as a teen wearing a soft porn schoolgirl outfit.

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