Tired of ads? Want to support our progressive journalism? Click to learn more.LEARN MORE
Enjoy good journalism?
… then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.
Raw Story is independent. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.
We need your support in this difficult time. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.
Value Raw Story?
… then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.
Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.
  |  |
Report typos and corrections to: corrections@rawstory.com.
Bernie Sander’s iconic mittens were made by a lesbian mom
January 23, 2021
By now you've likely seen countless memes of Independent Vermont Senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wearing those unique sweater-knit mittens and sitting cross-legged at President Joe Biden's inauguration.
It turns out that Jen Ellis, a lesbian mother and Vermont school teacher, made the “swittens,” as the large, hand-weaved wool mittens have been called, according to LGBTQ Nation. Ellis made them as a gift for people who worked at her daughter's preschool about two years ago, including for the preschool’s owner Liza Driscoll, who is also Sanders’ daughter-in-law.
Ellis made an extra pair for Driscoll to give to Sanders, and those are the pair that America has now seen on TV and in countless memes.
https://twitter.com/rubycramer/status/1351915535647330306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1351915535647330306%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lgbtqnation.com%2F2021%2F01%2Flesbian-mom-behind-bernie-sanders-famous-mittens-shes-flattered-people-love%2F
Despite receiving requests to make more of the now-iconic mittens, Ellis says she won't be quitting her day job to make them full-time; she also said you can buy plenty like them on the crafted goods website Etsy.
“I’ve tried not to let all of the mitten business overshadow the gloriousness of sitting with my five-year-old daughter and my partner and watching the first woman be sworn in as vice president. that’s amazing,” she said.
Sanders has begun producing t-shirts with the image of himself wearing the mittens to sell with all proceeds benefitting charity.
"In Vermont, we dress warm, we know something about the cold," Sanders told Gayle King in a post-inauguration interview. "And we're not so concerned about good fashion. We want to keep warm. And that's what I did today."
He said of the numerous memes of his gloves, “It makes people aware that we make good mittens in Vermont. It makes people aware that we make good mittens in Vermont.” He also said of Ellis, "The woman who made the mittens ... she is a schoolteacher [and] is a very very nice person, and she's been somewhat overwhelmed by the kind of attention that is being shown to her mittens."
Dems urged to deny committee seats to Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley for inciting 'deadly insurrection'
January 23, 2021
Progressive advocacy group MoveOn is calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to deny committee seats to Sens. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and other Republicans who attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and incited the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol Building earlier this month."Elected officials like Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and other senators who sought to use their power to promote the big lie to overturn the results of the 2020 election—and who incited a deadly insurrection—have no place in the U.S. Senate and most certainly should not be rewarded for their deadly attacks on democracy with seats leading important committees in the next Congress," Rahna Epting, MoveOn's executive director, said in a statement late Thursday.
"Senate Majority Leader Schumer must work to ensure that any power-sharing agreement with Mitch McConnell keeps these insurrectionist senators from committee positions where they can use their influence to further undermine our democracy," Epting continued. "Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and their allies in the Senate must be held accountable for their attacks on our democracy."
<p>Schumer and McConnell have yet to reach an agreement on so-called organizing resolution that establishes the rules and committee assignments of the new session. As <em>Common Dreams</em> <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/22/basically-trying-overturn-senate-election-mcconnell-delaying-democratic-takeover" target="_blank">reported</a> Friday, the Kentucky Republican is holding up the measure in an effort to preserve the legislative filibuster, an archaic 60-vote rule that <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/06/kill-filibuster-senate-democrats-urged-act-quickly-end-era-gop-obstruction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">progressives are urging Democrats to eliminate</a>.</p> <iframe src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?creatorScreenName=commondreams&creatorUserId=14296273&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1352427075538460672&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2F2021%2F01%2F22%2Fschumer-urged-deny-committee-seats-hawley-cruz-and-other-republicans-who-incited&siteScreenName=commondreams&siteUserId=14296273&theme=light&widgetsVersion=ed20a2b%3A1601588405575&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 774px; flex-grow: 1;" title="Twitter Tweet"></iframe> <p>MoveOn's demand came amid <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/11/7000-lawyers-law-students-demand-hawley-and-cruz-resign-inciting-violence-and-terror" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">growing calls</a> for the immediate resignation or expulsion of Cruz and Hawley, the most prominent <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/07/co-conspirators-sedition-here-are-names-every-republican-who-voted-overturn-election" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Republican senators</a> to vote against the certification of Biden's Electoral College victory earlier this month. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the number three Democrat in the Senate, is among those who have demanded that Cruz and Hawley step aside for inciting the January 6 invasion of the halls of Congress.</p><p>"Any senator who stands up and supports the power of force over the power of democracy has broken their oath of office," Murray <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/08/top-senate-democrat-patty-murray-hawley-and-cruz-should-resign" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a> in a statement two days after the attack. "Senators Hawley and Cruz should resign."</p><p>On Thursday, as <em>Common Dreams</em> <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/21/good-first-step-senators-file-ethics-complaint-over-cruz-and-hawleys-role-capitol" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reported</a>, a group of Senate Democrats demanded that the Ethics Committee launch a "thorough and fair investigation" into Cruz and Hawley and "consider any appropriate consequences."</p><p>"Cruz and Hawley continued to amplify the claims of fraud that they likely knew to be baseless and that had led to violence earlier that day," reads the Democrats' ethics complaint against their GOP colleagues. "Violent action provoked by false fraud claims remains a persistent threat."</p>
CONTINUE READING
Show less
On Saturday, Axios reported on the beliefs of a focus group of voters who backed former President Donald Trump in 2016, then switched to President Joe Biden in 2020.
One of the key takeaways: they considered the election of Biden a "relief" — and a majority of them wanted Congress to use the impeachment process to bar Trump from ever holding office again.
<p>Another finding was that most of them had made up their minds to abandon Trump even before his widely-criticized failure to control the pandemic.</p><p>"Coronavirus was not the reason most turned against Trump," said the report. "Rather than one tipping point, voters mentioned his moral failings, weaponizing social media, acting unpresidential, bullying, firing Cabinet members for sport, antagonizing racial and partisan divisions in society and separating children and parents at the Mexico border. Some felt duped for thinking he was a savvy businessman who could get things done that career politicians hadn't. 'I was just so over it,' said one voter, Matt S. from Georgia."</p><p>Trump has lost support from Republicans since the election, but still <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2021/01/08/trump-approval-rating-capitol-riot-poll/" target="_blank">commands a large majority</a> of them, according to Morning Consult — which could help him seek the nomination again in 2024 if he desires.</p>
CONTINUE READING
Show less
Trending
Latest
Videos
Copyright © 2021 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | Masthead | Privacy Policy | For corrections or concerns, please email corrections@rawstory.com.