Ted Cruz tweets '#FreeBritney' amid pop star Spears' bitter conservatorship debate

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A past and potentially future leading Republican contender for the presidency is weighing in on behalf of Britney Spears as the 2000s pop icon tries to rid herself of her father’s heavy hand in a bitter conservatorship debate. 

"#FreeBritney," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted on Thursday. 

During a virtual hearing in Los Angeles Wednesday, the "Toxic" singer gave 20 minutes of compelling testimony in which she said that her father, who was appointed her conservator in 2008, "loved" the control he had over her. 

In March, Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, called for a congressional hearing on conservatorships, arguing the practice could deprive citizens of "personal freedoms" if courts were manipulated. 

"I just want my life back," Spears said. "All I want is to own my money and for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. I want to sue my family."

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She told the court she had been forced to take lithium against her will, forced to use birth control, and forced to perform when she didn't want to. 

"It’s a strong drug. You can go mentally impaired if you stay on it longer than five months," she claimed. "I felt drunk, I couldn’t even have a conversation with my mom or dad about anything."

Spears also said she "wants to be able to get married and have a baby."

HOW CONSERVATORSHIPS LIKE BRITNEY SPEARS' WORK 

"My family didn’t do a godd--m thing," she fumed. "Anything I had to do, [my dad] was the one who approved all of it. My whole family did nothing."

On Wednesday, Spears said: "I am not happy, I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s insane. And I’m depressed. My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, including my management … they should be in jail."

Spears noted her family should be reminded, "They work for me."

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From 2008 to 2019, Spears’ father Jamie Spears had control of the pop star’s choices, and he and attorney Andrew Wallet controlled her money. Now, he has financial control only and must share that role with the Bessemer Trust, an estate-management firm. Jodi Montgomery, a court-appointed professional, now acts as conservator over her personal matters.

Spears' fortune is worth over $50 million. 

Fox News' Julius Young, Mariah Haas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.