Thursday Update: Congress Launches Investigation Into Astroworld Tragedy, ‘Bachelorette’s’ Maskless Finale Causes Online Uproar, Kanye Plays Santa For Needy Kids

Wikimedia Commons, by Austin Green

We’re tracking the conservative culture clash with woke Hollywood hypocrites to keep you up to date on who’s winning and who we hate. 

 Here’s what happened today:

Astroworld

A Congressional committee is launching an investigation into Live Nation over the tragic deaths of ten people during Travis Scott’s Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas on Nov. 5.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee sent a letter to CEO Michael Rapino requesting details about what risk assessments were performed prior to the concert, what safety concerns were raised, and which protocols they plan to put in place to prevent the same thing from happening at future events they promote. 

The committee requests that Live Nation give them answers by Jan. 7 and provide a closed door briefing on Jan. 12. 

 

Santa

Rapper Kanye West purchased nearly 4,000 toys for needy children in his hometown Chicago’s 4K Giveaway Toy Drive.  

“Yesterday, our hometown hero, our modern-day Santa Claus named Kanye realized the need for support of neighborhoods like Englewood or the south side of Chicago and filling in the gap for those children who are without their fathers due to mass incarceration or gun violence,” 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman announced on Monday.

“He really filled in the gap by providing not only clothes, but shoes, toys, as well as fresh produce for thousands of families yesterday on the South Side of Chicago,” Coleman continued. “To know that a worldwide superstar that’s from your very community cares enough to send support to your neighborhood, I think it really showed hope that someone cares for you.” 

 

Arrested

Former USC football player Abdul-Malik McClain, 22, was arrested on 10 counts of mail fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft for running a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) scheme that helped his teammates collect fraudulent benefits. 

McClain allegedly assisted other players in filing false claims, which led to Bank of America sending them debit cards loaded with at least hundreds of dollars, and sometimes thousands of dollars, in unemployment benefits.” 

McClain reportedly arranged for nearly three dozen fraudulent claims to be filed in Summer of 2020, seeking at least $903,688 in PUA benefits, and raking in $227,736 at minimum. 

The former football player faces 20 years in prison for each mail fraud count and a minimum of two years for each identity theft charge. McClain pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles court and was released on $20,000 bond. His trial begins on Feb. 15.  

 

Furious Finale

Twitter went wild during the “Bachelorette” finale when they saw that the live studio audience was sitting close together without face coverings.  

“Why is no one wearing masks nor physically distancing?Such an irresponsible choice to NOT advocate to viewers that audience & bachelors be vaccinated,” one viewer wrote. “Was it required? Will contact tracing happen if it wasn’t? Plz stop risking lives by pretending we are not still in a pandemic!” 

Halfway through the “After the Final Rose” segment host Kaitlyn Bristowe announced that the producers had “seen a lot of chatter online, so just so we’re clear, everyone around me has tested negative. But just to exercise additional caution, our audience will remain masked throughout the rest of the show.”

After the announcement one person wrote: “That’s now how viruses work, you’re all f—ed already if Omicron is in that crowd.”

Another hailed the power of the platform. “twitter literally told the bachelorette live finale audience to put on masks and…. they did it. inspiring use of the internet.”

 

Testify

The attorney for Prince Andrew’s alleged sexual assault victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused the royal of forcing himself on her when she was a minor, said they may call Meghan Markle to the stand if the case goes to trial. 

“One; she is in the U.S. so we have jurisdiction over her,” lawyer David Boies said. “Two; she is somebody who obviously, at least for a period of time, was a close associate of Prince Andrew and hence is in a position to perhaps have seen what he did, and perhaps if not to have seen what he did to have heard people talk about it.” 

“Because of her past association with him, she may very well have important knowledge, and will certainly have some knowledge,” he continued. “Three; she is somebody who we can count on to tell the truth. She checks all three boxes.”

He said other members of the royal family like Prince Charles and Sarah Ferguson could be called as witnesses. “We would likely take one or two depositions of people close to Andrew who would have knowledge of his actions,” he said. “That might include his ex-wife. It could possibly be his brother.”


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