In light of Netflix's release of the controversial film ‘Cuties’ last week, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) says he has called on the Department of Justice to investigate whether the production company has violated federal laws regarding the sale and distribution of child pornography. “This movie ‘Cuties,’ it sexualizes 11-year-old girls, it has them dancing like strippers,” Cruz told Fox News on Sunday, two days after he sent a letter to the DOJ, urging they to look into the matter. “[I]t is likely that the filming of this movie created even more explicit and abusive scenes,” Cruz wrote, predicting that future pedophiles would “manipulate and imitate this film in abusive ways.” He also slammed former President Barack Obama as someone who “makes a ton of money from Netflix.” (The award-winning film portrays a young immigrant girl’s coming-of-age story as she struggles with how to adapt to Western culture.)

Vox journalist Aaron Rupar called Cruz’s actions a ploy to drum up support among QAnon, a known incubator of pedophile conspiracy theories. Cruz then retweeted him, claiming ignorance of the violent far-right group’s conspiracy theories about Democrat child sexual abuse rings.