Victoria Fox's Blog, page 262

The prosecutor drops charges against ‘Rick and Morty’ co-creator Justin Roiland

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All felony domestic violence charges against Justin Roiland, co-creator of Rick and Morty as well as Solar Opposites, were dropped by prosecutors. Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for IMDb

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for IMDb

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed all charges against Rick and Morty co-creator and star Justin Roiland.

Kimberly Edds, spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, told NPR the decision was made “as a result of having insufficient evidence” to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Roiland pleaded not guilty to two felony domestic violence charges in Orange County, Calif., in 2020. He appeared in some pretrial hearings that occurred earlier this year.

Roiland reacted to the dropped charges in a statement he posted on Twitter. He wrote that he had “always known that these claims were false.”

He added that he is looking forward to moving on to “focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name.”

After reports of the charges were made public, Roiland’s career took a major hit. Adult Swim said it was ending its association with him but that the popular program Rick and Morty would continue in his absence.

The adult animated show follows the adventures of scientist Rick Sanchez and Morty, his grandson, across the multiverse. It first aired on Adult Swim in 2013. The show’s sixth season wrapped in December.

Roiland also co-created Solar Opposites, another animated show that airs on Hulu. Hulu similarly dropped him from Solar Opposites and another series called Koala Man, for which Roiland served as an executive producer and a voice actor, Variety reported.

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Stephen Smith died 8 years ago. More people than ever want to know why

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A Google Maps image shows the stretch of road where Stephen Smith’s body was discovered in Hampton County, S.C. Investigators say they believe his death was a homicide, not a hit-and-run as initially reported. Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR

Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR

Stephen Smith was 19 years old when his body was discovered on a rural two-lane road in South Carolina in 2015. His family has never accepted a medical examiner’s ruling that Smith died from a hit-and-run. They think foul play was involved — and state agents agree.

“The Stephen Smith case is being investigated as a homicide,” Renée Wunderlich, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s public information director, told NPR on Wednesday.

“We do believe it was a murder,” as South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel told The State newspaper. “We don’t believe it was a hit-and-run.”

Interest in Smith’s case has spiked because of where he died: in Hampton County, not far from Moselle, the hunting estate where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were shot to death, in a case that became an international sensation. SLED agents opened their inquiry into Smith’s death in June of 2021 — the same month the pair died.

Smith’s family is exhuming his body

SLED issued its update as Smith’s mother, Sandy, is taking new actions to learn more about his death in July of 2015. That includes arranging for an exhumation and private autopsy. She has raised about $90,000 to fund her effort.

“Stephen was in the process of discovering himself and his sexuality,” Sandy Smith told local news outlet Bluffton Today months after her son died. “He was gay. One rumor is that he may have had a man stalking him, the authorities asked me about that, but I’ve heard other stories I believe more.”

Smith went on to say her son would have been wary of any approaching cars on a dark road — and that she thought some of Stephen’s former classmates were involved in his death.

“One of the guys that supposedly did this, Stephen told his twin sister that he had ‘a fling’ with the boy,” Smith said. “He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. Stephen died on the eighth of July.”

No signs of hit-and-run, early reports noted

When he died, Smith was returning home from night classes at a tech college in Orangeburg, where he was studying to be a nurse.

A 911 caller alerted police after seeing Smith’s body in the early morning of July 8, near the center of Sandy Run Road. His car was later found not far from that spot, with its fuel cap off, suggesting he might have run out of gas.

Smith had a head injury but no other immediately apparent injuries. Initial reports mentioned the possibility that Smith’s head jury might have been a gunshot wound, according to police documents posted online by the FITSNews site.

Both Smith’s family and officers at the scene have cited a lack of a hit-and-run’s telltale signs at the spot where he was found, particularly the absence of vehicular debris. Police noted Smith’s shoes had stayed on his feet, despite being loosely tied. They also saw no skid marks near where Smith’s body was found in the middle of the road.

So, why was homicide initially ruled out?

In her preliminary autopsy report, Dr. Erin Presnell, a medical examiner, concluded that Smith died from being hit by a motor vehicle — possibly by a side mirror.

“Due to the medical examiner’s determination, the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office requested the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) to investigate Mr. Smith’s death” rather than SLED, the agency said on Wednesday.

The cause-of-death determination was crucial, as Smith’s death became a matter for the highway patrol, which investigates vehicular deaths, instead of SLED, which helps local agencies investigate homicides.

“We don’t believe it ever elevated to invoke the full investigatory authority of SLED,” Ronnie Richter, an attorney for Smith’s family, told NPR on Wednesday. “It has now.”

The Murdaugh case boosted interest in Smith

This phase of the Smith case is playing out against the backdrop of the Murdaugh murders, which took place about 8 miles from where Smith’s body was found.

The glaring spotlight on those killings placed new attention on Stephen Smith’s death, in part because police reports mentioned the Murdaugh family name several times, including their citing of local rumors that Buster Murdaugh, Alex’s surviving son, might somehow have been involved.

Smith knew the Murdaughs; he went to Wade Hampton High School with Buster. Just weeks ago, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of killing his wife and youngest son at their property in the area.

With Murdaugh’s murder trial now over, Smith’s attorneys say, SLED is able to focus more resources on solving the 2015 case. The agency is also asking anyone with relevant information to call 803-737-9000 and ask for Investigative Services.

Rumors are unfounded, Buster Murdaugh says

This week, Buster Murdaugh released a statement through his lawyer, Jim Griffin, saying he had nothing to do with Smith’s death. He also said he’s been “targeted and harassed by the media and followers of this story.”

“This has gone on far too long,” Murdaugh said. “These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.”

Murdaugh said he had not spoken out earlier about Smith’s “tragic death” because he was trying to maintain his privacy while grieving his mother and brother, and following his father’s criminal trial.

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Katy Perry Called Out By Idol Contestant For “Mom Shaming”

This American Idol contestant is angry as a mother.

Shortly after her audition for 31st season of the singing competition aired, Sara Beth Liebe shared her response to a joke judge Katy Perry made at her expense about being a young mom.

In the March 5 episode, the 25-year-old’s audition for judges Katy, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan aired. And during her time in front of the trio, they marveled at her youthful appearance, with Luke exclaiming that she looked 16, to which she laughed and said, “You guys are my favorite. I have three kids.”

Sara Beth’s motherhood revelation caused Katy to make a shocked face, get up and slowly melt onto the judges’ desk. “If Katy lays on the table,” Sara said excitedly, “I think I’m going to pass out.”

Sitting back down in her chair, Katy responded, “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much.”

As to how Sara Beth felt about Katy’s dig?

“It was embarrassing to have that on TV,” the California native said in a TikTok reflecting on the exchange. “It was hurtful. I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool and I think that mom shaming is super lame. I think that it’s hard enough to be a mom and it’s hard enough to be a woman.”

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A student shot 2 administrators at a Denver high school, police say

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Police tape surrounds East High School following reports of a shooting that left two people injured on Wednesday. Hart Van Denburg/CPR News

Hart Van Denburg/CPR News

Two school administrators at Denver’s East High School were shot by a male student Wednesday morning, police said. As of that afternoon, one of the victims was undergoing surgery and the second was in stable condition at the hospital.

No other injuries were reported, according to Colorado Public Radio/ Denverite.

Police say they were still looking for the student, who is considered armed and dangerous.

Emergency responders received calls of the shooting at around 9:50 a.m., according to Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas and other officials during a news conference at around 11 a.m. local time.

East High shooting: Two school administrators shot. Police say they have identified shooter

Local paramedics were already at the school treating another student who was suffering an allergic reaction. Those paramedics were able to begin treating the two injured faculty members quickly.

At the time of the shooting, the suspect was undergoing a regular morning search by faculty before he entered the school. This was part of a safety plan agreement established with the student due to prior behavioral issues. He previously never brought in a weapon, until today, officials said. The shooting took place at a front office of the school and away from other students and staff.

The student, whose identity is being withheld because he is a minor, then fled the school.

Denver Public Schools said they will be doing a “controlled release” of the students once police allow for it.

Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero said during Wednesday’s press conference that the school will not be in session for the rest of the week. Two armed officers will remain at East until the end of the year, after which the school will consider next steps to improve security, he said.

In 2020, Denver’s public school system decided to remove its in-school Denver Police Department officers, which had monitored the school campuses, out of concerns for the treatment of young students of color, according to Denverite.

This recent tragedy comes as the East High School community is still mourning the loss of student Luis Garcia. In February, the 16-year-old was shot outside of the school while sitting in his car. He died more than two weeks later.

Following his death, East High School students staged a walkout to demand action on gun violence, according to the activist group Students Demand Action.

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Wisconsin Supreme Court nominees clash over 1849 abortion ban in lonely debate

CNN
—

The two contenders vying for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court squared off on Tuesday over the state’s 1849 abortion ban in their only debate, underscoring the high stakes of an election. who could decide the question in one of the most important swing states in the country.

Former Justice Daniel Kelly, a conservative and liberal Milwaukee County opponent, Justice Janet Protasiewicz, will face off April 4 in an election that will decide the balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In a state where control is split between a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled legislature, the high court could decide the outcome of legal battles over the state’s abortion laws, its legislative maps and more .

The debate — the only one scheduled between Protasiewicz and Kelly — took place the same day Wisconsin voters began voting in person.

It’s the nation’s most expensive legal contest on record, with about $30 million already spent on publicity and counting as two weeks remain in the campaign. Wisconsin is one of 14 states in the country that directly elects the Supreme Court justice in this manner.

Protasiewicz has focused his attacks on Kelly on abortion, with the state’s 1849 ban on nearly all abortions currently being challenged in court and likely to land in the state Supreme Court.

“If my opponent is elected, I can tell you with 100% certainty that the 1849 abortion ban will stay on the books. I can tell you that,” Protasiewicz said during Tuesday’s debate.

She said she “makes no promises” about how she will rule on the 1849 abortion law. But she also noted her personal support for abortion rights, as well as endorsements from abortion rights groups. And she pointed to Kelly’s endorsement by Wisconsin Right to Life, which opposes abortion rights.

Kelly replied that Protasiewicz’s comments were “absolutely wrong”.

“You don’t know what I think of this abortion ban,” he said. “You have no idea. These things you don’t know.

The debate took place before a crowd of about 100 people seated in an auditorium at the offices of the State Bar of Wisconsin in Madison. The candidates answered questions from a panel of three Wisconsin reporters as the audience watched in silence.

The rhetoric grew increasingly bitter and testy, particularly on the topics of abortion, redistricting and criminal sentencing, with the two rivals standing several feet apart on a small stage. Differences that were aired in a multi-million television ad campaign came to life.

Kelly looked directly at her opponent and repeatedly raised pointed questions about her integrity, at one point saying, “It seems to be a pattern for you, Janet, to lie about me.” He called her by her first name, Janet, rather than Judge.

Protasiewic only occasionally glared at her challenger, but pushed back against an allegation that she’s soft on crime: “I’ve worked very hard to keep our community safe, every day I’m on the bench.”

Kelly accused Protasiewicz of giving light sentences to violent offenders.

He cited the case of Anton Veasley, who in 2021 was convicted of child incitement and third-degree sexual assault and was released after Protasiewicz suspended his five-year prison sentence with four years of probation, giving him credit for the 417 days he had already spent in prison.

“We are looking at the sentence she composed and the reasoning she used to reach these conclusions, and it is simply irresponsible to allow dangerous convicted criminals to come back so easily without any repercussions on communities that they’re just done victimizing,” Kelly said.

Protasiewicz acknowledged that “hindsight is 20/20.” But she said Kelly was misrepresenting her record.

“I have condemned thousands of people. And interestingly, a handful of cases were hand-picked, selected and twisted, and insufficient facts were provided to the electorate,” she said.

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Here’s how to avoid another train crash in eastern Palestine before it’s too late

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More than six weeks have passed since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in the small Ohio town in eastern Palestine. Toxic chemicals were released into the area and the lives of over 5,000 Americans were changed forever.

The American people were rightly terrified by the images of a huge black plume of smoke and toxic chemicals in nearby streams. There are over 1,000 train derailments, and they are right to fear that their hometown may be next.

The US government must provide the American people with the security of knowing that what happened in eastern Palestine will not happen again. We worked across the aisle with our fellow Democrats to introduce the Railroad Safety Act, targeted bipartisan legislation to raise the standards to which the rail industry is held.

The American public supports our proposal. The overwhelming majority, seventy-six percent, of Americans believe the railroad industry should be subject to additional safety guidelines, and fifty-three percent of them specifically believe that the derailment in eastern Palestine could have been avoided by stricter security protocols.

NTSB CALLS OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT ‘100% PREVENTABLE’, SAYS OPERATORS WERE WARNED OF OVERHEATED AXLE

While the cleanup of remaining hazardous materials in eastern Palestine must be the focus of the Biden administration, Congress can take immediate action to significantly reduce the risks of an equally catastrophic event by passing our legislation.

First, the Railway Safety Act would require trains carrying hazardous materials to be scanned by wayside flaw detectors, or “hot box detectors,” every ten miles to prevent future derailments caused by rolling overs. faulty wheel. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on the derailment in eastern Palestine makes it clear that the accident was caused by a catastrophic wheel bearing failure that would have been detected by the more frequent placement of hotbox detectors. .

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CEO ‘DEEPLY SORRY’ FOR EASTERN PALESTINE DISASTER, SAYS COMPANY WILL ‘FIX THIS’

Second, our legislation requires railroads to provide advance notification to state emergency response commissions when transporting hazardous materials. Without this critical protocol, firefighters may end up responding to train derailments without knowing the potentially hazardous materials they contain. Under no circumstances should our firefighters risk their lives on limited information.

Third, the bill further discourages railways from engaging in reckless practices. It increases the maximum fine for safety violations from $225,000 to 1% of a railroad’s operating profit. Norfolk Southern posted an operating profit of $4.8 billion last year.

For a company of their size, a quarter million dollar penalty is just the cost of doing business. With this provision, they would face a fine of almost $50 million for the derailment in eastern Palestine – a justifiable penalty given the public resources and taxpayers’ money spent on emergency response and cleanup following their mistake.

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The Railway Safety Act would also require railroads to operate with at least two crews and increase HAZMAT registration fees to fund emergency responder training. The bill also calls for investment in research to develop advanced safety designs for the freight railcars of the future.

A black plume rises over Eastern Palestine, Ohio following the controlled detonation of part of the derailed Norfolk and South on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar ) (The Associated Press)

Railroads have been a key circulatory system of American industry for over a century and a half. They have connected our shores and brought prosperity to our hearts. They will be integral to America’s economic renewal for years to come, from relocating our country’s supply chains to reviving our manufacturing base. But first, they must be made safe and secure. Railroads can’t help rebuild America if they can destroy its small towns without consequence.

The way forward for this bill is clear. The Senate Majority Leader and the President pledged to do what it takes to make it law, and a bipartisan group from the Ohio delegation introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.

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This legislation should be of particular interest to our Republican colleagues. American railroads run through their rural districts and red communities. When derailments occur, it is overwhelmingly Republican voters — their constituents — who suffer and rush to put out the fires.

We owe it to them to keep the rail industry at a higher level, and the Railway Safety Act will do just that.

Republican Marco Rubio represents Florida in the US Senate.

Republican Josh Hawley represents Missouri in the US Senate.

Republican JD Vance represents Ohio in the United States Senate.

Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.

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Rep. Jim Jordan’s legal tweet supporting Donald Trump gets a brutal rewrite

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The House Judiciary Committee’s Twitter account drew mockery for a post defending former President Donald Trump ahead of his expected indictment over a silent payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels.

The committee, which cites Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) as its most senior member, on Tuesday quoted Jordan himself as saying, “We don’t believe President Trump broke the law at all.”

He posted three fire emojis below.

Some critics laughed at the idea of ​​an account apparently run by Trump devotee Jordan, endorsing his own quote.

Others rewrote the post suggesting it could have ended after three words, namely, “We don’t think so.”

Many just marveled at the use of scorching emojis.

The Huffington Gt

Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.

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Shohei Ohtani fans his Angels teammate as Japan tops U.S. 3-2 for baseball title

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Japan pitcher Shohei Ohtani, center, celebrates after defeating the United States at the World Baseball Classic final game, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Miami. Marta Lavandier/AP

Marta Lavandier/AP

MIAMI — Shohei Ohtani emerged from the bullpen and fanned Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out in the matchup the whole baseball world wanted to see, leading Japan over the defending champion United States 3-2 Tuesday night for its first World Baseball Classic title since 2009.

“This is the best moment in my life,” Ohtani said through a translator.

Ohtani, the two-way star who has captivated fans across two continents, was voted MVP of the WBC. He clutched the award against his chest, having clinched the trophy by striking out Trout.

“Whether I got him out or he got a hit off me, I didn’t want to make any regrets. I wanted to make my best pitch,” Ohtani said.

He did, and then some.

Trying to protect a razor-thin edge, with two outs and nobody on base, Ohtani flashed 100 mph heat in getting Trout to swing and miss at two fastballs. With the count full, Trout waved at a sharp slider to end the ninth inning.

“I think every baseball fan wanted to see that. I’ve been answering questions about it for the last month and a half,” Trout said.

“Did you think it was going to end in any other way?” he said.

Ohtani beat out an infield single in the seventh inning as a designated hitter before walking down the left-field line to Japan’s bullpen to warm up for his third mound appearance of the tournament.

After walking big league batting champion Jeff McNeil to begin the ninth, Ohtani got Mookie Betts to ground into a double play.

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U.S. pitcher Kyle Freehand throws during the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic championship game against Japan, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Miami. Wilfredo Lee/AP

Wilfredo Lee/AP

That brought up Trout, the U.S. captain and a three-time MVP.

“I saw him take a big deep breath to try and control his emotions,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “I can’t even imagine being in that moment, the two best players on the planet locking horns as teammates in that spot.”

Ohtani wound up with a save. His only other save came in a Japan postseason playoff game in 2016.

“He’s got nasty stuff,” Trout said. “He threw me a good pitch at the end.”

Just not the ending DeRosa wanted.

“I was hoping it was going to go our way with Mikey popping one against Ohtani,” he said.

“The whole world got to see Ohtani come in, big spot, battling. It’s kind of how it was kind of scripted. I just wish it would have went different,” he said.

He added: “But the baseball world won tonight.”

Ohtani batted .435 with one homer, four doubles, eight RBIs and 10 walks as Japan joined the Dominican Republic in 2013 to become the only unbeaten champions of baseball’s premier national team tournament. Ohtani, the 2021 AL MVP was 2-0 with a save and a 1.86 ERA on the mound, striking out 11 in 9 2/3 innings.

“What he’s doing in the game is what probably 90% of the guys in that clubhouse did in Little League or in youth tournaments, and he’s able to pull it off on the biggest stages,” DeRosa said. “He is a unicorn to the sport. I think other guys will try it, but I don’t think they’re going to do it to his level.”

Japan went 7-0 and outscored opponents 56-18, reaching the final for the first time since winning the first two WBCs in 2006 and 2009. No other nation has won the title more than once.

Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto homered as Japan built a 3-2 lead.

Trea Turner put the U.S. ahead in the second with his record-tying fifth home run of the tournament and Kyle Schwarber pulled the Americans within a run when he went deep in the eighth off Yu Darvish.

It was the second straight major title for the Japanese, who beat the U.S. 2-0 in Yokohama for the 2021 Olympic gold medal. Japan used top players in that tournament while the U.S. sent released major leaguers and top prospects.

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Japan catcher Yuhei Nakamura chases a foul ball during third inning of a World Baseball Classic championship game against the United States, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Wilfredo Lee/AP

Wilfredo Lee/AP

Turner put the U.S. ahead in the second inning with a drive to left against Shota Imanaga (1-0), tying South Korea’s Seung Yuop Lee in 2006 for the most in a WBC. That lit up a sellout crowd of 36,098 — fans were given wristbands with colored lights that flickered.

Murakami, at 23 already a two-time Central League MVP, tied the score on the first pitch of the bottom half when Merrill Kelly (0-1) elevated a fastball. Murakami drove it at 115.1 mph into the right-field upper deck, 432 feet away.

Murakami’s game-ending double lifted Japan over Mexico 6-5 in Monday night’s semifinal and his third-inning homer off Nick Martinez put Japan ahead in the 2021 gold medal game.

Japan loaded the bases in the second on singles by Okamoto and Sosuke Genda, and a walk to Yuhei Nakamura. Lars Nootbaar, the first non-Japanese-born player to appear for the Samurai Warriors, followed with a run-scoring groundout off Aaron Loup for a 2-1 lead.

Okamoto boosted the lead in the fourth when he sent a flat slider from Kyle Freeland over the wall in left-center.

Japan was outhit 9-5 as Imanaga combined with six relievers to hold the U.S. to 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. The 29-year-old left-hander and Shosei Togo pitched two innings each, Hiroto Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh and Taisei Ota got three outs each, with Ota escaping two-on, no-outs trouble by retiring Trout on a flyout and getting Paul Goldschmidt to ground into a double play.

Trout and Ohtani hugged behind the batting cage during pregame workouts, then held their nation’s flag while leading their teams toward home plate in single file during the introductions, Trout down the right-field line and Ohtani in left.

Several thousand fans had arrived hours early to watch Ohtani take batting practice and applauded when he hit a drive off the video board above the second deck in center.

Trout hit .296 in the tournament with one homer, seven RBIs and 12 strikeouts.

Japan gets $3 million in prize money and the U.S. receives $1.7 million. Half of each goes to players, the other half to the national baseball federaton.

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TikTok CEO set to tell lawmakers in Washington: ByteDance ‘not an agent of China’

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The TikTok Inc. building is seen in Culver City, Calif., on March 17, 2023. TikTok on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, rolled out updated rules and standards for content and users as it faces increasing pressure from Western authorities over concerns that material on the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app could be used to push false information. Damian Dovarganes/AP

Damian Dovarganes/AP

TikTok’s chief executive is expected to tell lawmakers in Washington this week that the data of the app’s 150 million U.S. users is insulated from Chinese authorities.

TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew is set to address the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday, and he plans to describe the firewall between the company’s American operation and China, or as Zi Chew puts it, protections against “unauthorized foreign access.”

That’s despite TikTok’s Beijing-based corporate owner, ByteDance, which is subject to Chinese data request laws that compel companies to hand over information to the government about customers.

“Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” Zi Chew will say, according to written testimony released by the House committee on Tuesday night.

Zi Chew will tell the congressional committee about a $1.5 billion company restructuring known as “Project Texas,” involving Austin software giant Oracle, which will store and oversee the vast amount of personal data TikTok collects from users in the U.S.

“The bottom line is this: American data stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel,” Zi Chew plans to tell lawmakers. “Today, U.S. TikTok data is stored by default in Oracle’s servers. Only vetted personnel operating in a new company, called TikTok U.S. Data Security, can control access to this data.”

Zi Chew’s much-anticipated appearance in Washington comes as the Biden administration intensifies pressure on TikTok, the most-downloaded app in the world in 2022.

After a two-year national security review, White House officials have told TikTok that it must divest from ByteDance, or face a severe punishment in the U.S., including the possibility of a ban.

On Thursday, Zi Chew is expected to say that a forced divestiture will not address the fundamental concerns about data flows or access.

“This is not an issue of nationality. All global companies face common challenges that need to be addressed through safeguards and transparency. I am proud that TikTok is taking the lead in this area, and I welcome the chance to continue having conversations with the U.S. government to make this model even better,” Zi Chew is set to tell lawmakers.

That said, the national security review was led by the Commerce Department, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo sounded skeptical about the Biden administration attempting to redo something President Trump unsuccessfully attempted: putting TikTok out of business in America.

“The politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever,” Raimondo said in a Bloomberg News interview.

Any potential TikTok crackdown that included a ban would likely set off a long legal battle. Two federal judges halted President Trump’s effort to shutter TikTok, citing free speech violations and executive overreach.

Now, however, top White House officials, and a growing chorus of bipartisan lawmakers, are continuing to view TikTok as a threat, fearing that China’s authoritarian regime could use TikTok data to spy on, or blackmail, the millions of Americans who use the app every day.

And even though there is no evidence that the Chinese government has attempted to gain access to TikTok data, rhetoric from lawmakers about the social media sensations has been grandiose in recent months.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul has called TikTok a “spy balloon in your phone,” and fellow Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher has called TikTok “digital fentanyl.”

The company has admitted that employees in China accessed the data of U.S. users who were journalists reporting on company leaks — an incident now being investigated by Justice Department.

In his remarks, Shou Zi said the company learned from the episode.

“…We promptly took action, including a companywide disclosure, when we learned late last year that certain (now former) employees had accessed TikTok user data in an unsuccessful and misguided attempt to trace the source of a leak of confidential TikTok.”

Tensions between the U.S. and China have been on the rise in recent years, as federal officials worry about China’s growing technological prowess. Washington also is watching China conduct military displays in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, not to mention China’s surveillance balloon traversing across the U.S.

Into this tense dynamic enters TikTok, which has increasingly come to symbolize the U.S. government’s worst fears about China, even if the real risk to Americans remains theoretical.

TikTok officials have tried to mitigate those worries by establishing a separate entity that will have independent auditors monitoring the app’s powerful algorithm and data flows. The company has long distanced itself from China, claiming that it is a “global company,” and pointing out that some 60% of ByteDance’s shares are owned by global investors like Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, and Susquehanna International Group.

Another major concern of lawmakers is how TikTok could influence an entire generation of young people, since TikTok has become something of a cultural mainstay for internet commentary, comedy and political expression.

“TikTok will remain a platform for free expression and will not be manipulated by any government,” Zi Chew will planning to say, according to excerpts of his remarks. “We will keep safety — particularly for teenagers — a top priority.”

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This Legally Blonde Clue in Gilmore Girls Gets an A+

We don’t object to this Stars Hollow easter egg.

Fans of 2003’s Legally Blonde 2 might remember the iconic pink polka dog carrier that Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) used to carry her furry friend Bruiser as she traveled throughout Washington D.C. As it turns out, a similar bag was used a few months later in a season 4 episode of Gilmore Girls, where Kirk (Sean Gunn) is seen carrying a stylish pink dog carrier while he watched over Buster, his girlfriend Lulu (Rini Bell‘s) pet.

If Gilmore Girls fans didn’t pick up on this Legally Blonde 2 reference, not to worry: Valerie Campbell—who worked in the costume department of Gilmore Girls from 2001 to 2007—has your back. She’s here to explain that the bag choice wasn’t entirely a coincidence.

“I think that was an Easter egg that you were meant to know when you watched Gilmore Girls the first time around,” she shared in a March 4 TikTok. “That bag is so iconic in that movie that there is no way that we just randomly used it.”

eonline

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