U.S.
Mother of Child in “Success Kid” Meme Sends Cease and Desist to Rep. Steve King for Unapproved Use
Published
3 years agoon

- The mother of “Success Kid” sent a cease and desist letter to Rep. Steve King for using the copyrighted meme of her son on a fundraising ad without permission.
- King has come under fire on numerous occasions for having white nationalist, racist, and other offensive views.
- Laney Griner, Success Kid’s mother, does not want the photo of her son to be associated with anything negative.
- Griner is demanding that the meme be removed from all platforms it was used on, that a public statement be made acknowledging its misuse, and that refunds be issued for all profits the photo brought in.
King Hit With Cease and Desist
The mother of the child pictured in the viral “Success Kid” meme hit Rep. Steve King (R-IA) with a cease and desist after he used the copyrighted photo in a fundraising ad without permission.
According to The Washington Post and BuzzFeed News, the letter was sent to King on Monday. He used the photo in an ad linked on his Facebook page, where he frequently posts right-leaning memes making fun of Democrats. The meme featured a photo that has been dubbed as “Success Kid,” where 11-month-old Sam Griner is making a tiny fist pump with a hand full of sand. Text over the picture read “FUND OUR MEMES!!!”
White nationalist Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is asking for money "to make sure the memes keep flowing and the Lefties stay triggered." pic.twitter.com/TW7HdTXkd0
— Eric Hananoki (@ehananoki) January 23, 2020
“QUESTION: Do you enjoy our memes??” The post reads. “If so, please click the link below and throw us a few dollars to make sure the memes keep flowing and the Lefties stay triggered. Thank you!”
The link went out to a WinRed fundraising page, which also included the photo. While in public office, King has repeatedly been criticized for making racist and white nationalist comments, as well as offensive comments about immigration and rape. Prominent fellow Republicans, like Liz Cheney, have condemned him for some of his remarks.
Mother Reacts to King’s Use of Photo
Laney Griner, Success Kid’s mom, first acknowledged the ad on Thursday after a Media Matters reporter shared it on Twitter.
“Just so it’s clear – I have/would never give permission for use of my son’s photo to promote any agenda of this vile man or that disgusting party,” Griner wrote.
Just so it’s clear – I have/would never give permission for use of my son’s photo to promote any agenda of this vile man or that disgusting party. https://t.co/AVdl9dxXCs
— Laney Griner (@laneymg) January 23, 2020
On Monday, Griner shared a longer thread explaining why she was upset with the use of this photo, which she took in 2007 and copyrighted in 2012. She said that King’s use of it implied “that he has some kind of ownership in it.”
2/5 Representative King and his campaign staff appropriated “Success Kid” without my permission. “Success Kid’s” is about positivity and celebrates achievement. Neither I, my son, nor “Success Kid” have any affiliation with Representative King,
— Laney Griner (@laneymg) January 27, 2020
She said that Success Kid is about positivity and has no association with King. “I do not endorse Representative King and, like most people, I strongly disagree with his views,” she added.
Consistent with the demands of the letter, Griner stated that she wanted the meme removed from King’s webpages, a statement acknowledging that the photo was misused, and a refund of the money that the photo brought in. If King does not comply, Griner will sue.
4/5 was taken without our permission and endorsement, and refund the money his campaign received from misusing ‘Success Kid”.
— Laney Griner (@laneymg) January 27, 2020
Griner has previously made money from the use of her photo. Success Kid has been featured in a variety of ads, including a Coca-Cola Super Bowl commercial.
President Barack Obama also used the photo in 2013 after obtaining permission from Griner.
CB…Oh, baby! http://t.co/mXHzro9Zty #ImmigrationReform, pic.twitter.com/Ip13Ox88W1
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) June 19, 2013
Griner spoke with the Post about King’s use of her image. She explained that she did not want the photo of her son, who is now 13, to be associated with anything negative, and King “is about as negative as you can get.”
“It’s just the antithesis of what the meme’s reputation is,” she told them.
She also explained that she is liberal and politics were a major factor in her reaction, but she would not rule out letting other Republicans use the photo.
King has removed the photo from his Facebook and it no longer appears on his WinRed page. According to the Post, he has not yet responded to Griner’s letter.
See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (BuzzFeed News) (The Hollywood Reporter)
U.S.
Survey and Census Data Shows Record Number of Americans are Struggling Financially
Published
3 weeks agoon
May 23, 2023By
Star Pralle
Americans are choosing not to pursue medical treatment more and more frequently as they encounter money troubles.
A recent federal survey shows that a record number of Americans were worse off financially in 2022 than a year prior.
Coupled with recent census data showing pervasive poverty across much of the country, Americans are forced to make difficult decisions, like foregoing expensive healthcare.
According to a recent Federal Reserve Bureau survey, 35% of adults say they were worse off in 2022 than 2021, which is the highest share ever recorded since the question was raised in 2014.
Additionally, half of adults reported their budget was majorly affected by rising prices across the country, and that number is even higher among minority communities and parents living with their children.
According to recent census data, more than 10% of the counties in the U.S. are experiencing persistent poverty, meaning the area has had a poverty rate of 20% or higher between 1989 and 2019.
16 states report at least 10% of their population living in persistent poverty. But most of the suffering counties were found in the South — which accounts for over half the people living in persistent poverty, despite making up less than 40% of the population.
These financial realities have placed many Americans in the unfortunate situation of choosing between medical treatment and survival. The Federal Reserve study found that the share of Americans who skipped medical treatment because of the cost has drastically increased since 2020.
The reflection of this can be found in the overall health of households in different income brackets. 75% of households with an income of $25,000 or less report being in good health – compared to the 91% of households with $100,000 or more income.
See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (Federal Reserve)

The ban will likely face legal challenges before it is officially enacted next year.
First Statewide Ban of TikTok
Montana became the first state to ban TikTok on Wednesday after Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed legislation aimed at protecting “Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.”
The ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, though the law will likely face a handful of legal challenges before that date.
To protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party, I have banned TikTok in Montana.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) May 17, 2023
Under the law, citizens of the state will not be held liable for using the app, but companies that offer the app on their platforms, like Apple and Google, will face a $10,000 fine per day of violations. TikTok would also be subject to the hefty daily fine.
Questions remain about how tech companies will practically enforce this law. During a hearing earlier this year, a representative from TechNet said that these platforms don’t have the ability to “geofence” apps by state.
Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics, told the Associated Press that app stores could have the capability to enforce the restriction, but it would be difficult to carry out and there would be a variety of loopholes by tools like VPNs.
Montana’s law comes as U.S. politicians have taken aim at TikTok over its alleged ties to the CCP. Earlier this year, the White House directed federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices. Conservatives, in particular, have been increasingly working to restrict the app.
“The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented,” Gov. Gianforte said in a Wednesday statement.
Criticism of Montana Law
TikTok, however, has repeatedly denied that it gives user data to the government. The company released a statement claiming Montana’s law “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people” in the state.
“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” the company said.
The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Montana’s law for similar reasons.
This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet.
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 17, 2023
Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.
“This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet,” the ACLU tweeted. “Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.”
Per the AP, there are 200,000 TikTok users in Montana, and another 6,000 businesses use the platform as well. Lawsuits are expected to be filed against the law in the near future.
See what others are saying: (Associated Press) (Fast Company) (CBS News)
U.S.
How a Disney-Loving Former Youth Pastor Landed on The FBI’s “Most Wanted” List
Published
2 months agoon
April 24, 2023By
Star Pralle
“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Chris Burns’ 19-year-old son pleaded to his father via The Daily Beast.
Multi-Million Dollar Scheme
Former youth pastor turned financial advisor Chris Burns remains at large since going on the run in September of 2020 to avoid a Securities Exchange Commission investigation into his businesses.
Despite his fugitive status, the Justice Department recently indicted Burns with several more charges on top of the $12 million default judgment he received from the SEC.
Burns allegedly sold false promissory notes to investors across Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. The SEC claims he told the investors they were participating in a “peer to peer” lending program where businesses that needed capital would borrow money and then repay it with interest as high as 20%. Burns allegedly also reassured investors that the businesses had collateral so the investment was low-risk.
The SEC says that Burns instead took that money for personal use.
Burns’ History
Burns began his adult life as a youth pastor back in 2007 before transitioning into financial planning a few years later. By 2017, he launched his own radio show, The Chris Burns Show, which was funded by one of his companies, Dynamic Money – where every week Burns would “unpack how this week’s headlines practically impact your life, wallet, and future,” according to the description. He also frequently appeared on television and online, talking about finances and politics.
The SEC alleges that he used his public appearances to elevate his status as a financial advisor and maximize his reach to investors.
His family told The Daily Beast that he became obsessed with success and he reportedly bought hand-made clothes, a million-dollar lakehouse, a boat, several cars, and took his family on several trips to Disney World. His eldest son and wife said that Burns was paying thousands of dollars a day for VIP tours and once paid for the neighbors to come along.
Then in September 2020, he reportedly told his wife that he was being investigated by the Securities Exchange Commission but he told her not to worry.
The day that he was supposed to turn over his business documents to the SEC, he disappeared, telling his wife he was just going to take a trip to North Carolina to tell his parents about the investigation. Then, the car was found abandoned in a parking lot with several cashier’s checks totaling $78,000
FBI’s Most Wanted
The default judgment in the SEC complaint orders Burns, if he’s ever found, to pay $12 million to his victims, as well as over $650,000 in a civil penalty. Additionally, a federal criminal complaint charged him with mail fraud. Burns is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
Last week, the Justice Department indicted him on several other charges including 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud.
“Burns is charged for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients in an illegal investment fraud scheme,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Financial crimes of this nature can cause significant disruptions to the lives of those who are victimized, and the FBI is dedicated to holding these criminals accountable.”
His family maintains that they knew nothing of Burns’ schemes. His wife reportedly returned over $300,000 that he had given to her.
She and their eldest son, who is now 19, told The Daily Beast they just want Burns to turn himself in, take responsibility for his actions, and try to help the people he hurt.
“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Burns’ son said in a message to his father via The Daily Beast.
See what others are saying: (The Daily Beast) (Fox 5) (Wealth Management)

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