SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
For Immediate Release
February, 18 2010, 04:02pm EDT
Contact:
Meredith Turner, Farm Sanctuary, 646-369-6212, mturner@farmsanctuary.org
Imposter Faux Fur Partners with Farm Sanctuary to Give Animals a Royalty Share of the Products They Inspire
Carrie Underwood, Angie Harmon, Emmy Rossum and “The City’s” Olivia Palermo Among Hollywood Elite Sporting Brand’s Universal Symbol for Animal Friendly Products
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.
For everyone who
has ever put on a gorgeous article of faux fur, only to spend the entire day
worrying "I hope no one thinks this is
real," comes Imposter,
a compassionate new fashion initiative that aims to make animal-inspired
fashions recognizable as animal friendly FROM THE OUTSIDE and give animals a
well-deserved cut of the profits. The revolutionary new brand has partnered
with Farm
Sanctuary, the
nation's leading farm animal protection organization, to ensure that
animals are given a royalty share from the sale of all Imposter-branded
products.
The chic faux fur creations all bear the
"IM Imposter" logo, the universal symbol for animal friendly
products, and guarantee two things: 1) That no animal life was taken for the
product to exist. 2) That animals received a royalty share from each
Imposter-branded product. Farm Sanctuary's iconic logo will appear on
Imposter's website and on the hang tags of all products, and a percentage
of the profits from each sale will go to support the nonprofit
organization's critical rescue, education and advocacy work on behalf of
abused farm animals. Online shoppers can also choose Farm Sanctuary
from a list of carefully selected animal protection organizations to receive an
additional 10% at check-out.
"Many companies copy and showcase
the most beautiful of nature's inventions, often taking everything
including breath and life in the most heinous ways," said Imposter
Founder Jaclyn Sharp. "Imposter, on the other hand, harnesses the power
of enterprise to save lives. We
are honored to give a portion of the profits of every sale to the more than
1,000 rescued animals who reside at Farm Sanctuary's shelters and to the
organization's advocacy efforts to improve the lives of billions of
animals raised and slaughtered for food every year in this country."
The chic, cruelty-free fashion initiative includes faux fur
hats, vests and ear-muffs, and is currently available at Henri Bendel in New York City, other
high-end stores and boutiques, and online through Imposter4animals.com. The Imposter
faux fur pieces have already attracted the attention of such Hollywood stars as
Carrie Underwood, Angie Harmon, Emmy Rossum, Jessica Lownes (90210), and Olivia Palermo (The City). The brand plans
to expand their line into other faux animal products in the future, including imitation "leather."
"We are thrilled to partner with a
compassionate, lifesaving brand like Imposter," said Farm
Sanctuary's President and Co-Founder Gene Baur. "By creating a
label that is not only synonymous with cruelty-free fashion, but also a coveted
fashion accessory in and of itself, Jaclyn Sharp and her revolutionary business
concept will help shift the demand curve toward animal friendly products and away
from those that exploit."
For more information, please visit www.imposter4animals.com.
If you would like to receive hi-res photos of
Imposter's cruelty-free fashions or speak with Imposter Founder Jaclyn
Sharp and/or Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur, please contact
Meredith Turner at 646-369-6212 or mturner@farmsanctuary.org.
Farm Sanctuary fights the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on animals, the environment, social justice, and public health through rescue, education, and advocacy.
LATEST NEWS
Democrats' Bill Would Extend Social Security and Medicare Solvency 'As Far as the Eye Can See'
"Working-class seniors pay into Social Security and Medicare their whole careers so they can enjoy a dignified retirement, but they end up paying a much larger share of their income in taxes than billionaires because the tax code is rigged in favor of the rich."
May 09, 2025
Social Security and Medicare protect tens of millions of American senior citizens from poverty and medical bankruptcy each year, but economic justice advocates have long said the programs would be strengthened and remain fully solvent for as long as possible if the richest Americans contributed more to them—and on Thursday two Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to ensure they do.
The bicameral bill, the Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act, was reintroduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), with the aim of requiring people with yearly incomes of more than $400,000 to contribute a fairer share of their wealth to the two programs.
Currently the maximum amount of earnings for which American workers must pay Social Security taxes is just over $176,000.
The bill would lift the Social Security tax cap "to ensure that no matter the source of their income, high-income taxpayers would pay the same tax rate on their income exceeding that threshold," said the lawmakers in a press statement.
It would also increase the Medicare tax rate for income above $400,000 by 1.2% and include a provision ensuring owners of hedge funds and private equity firms can no longer avoid Medicare taxes.
Whitehouse and Boyle introduced the bill as the Trump administration and congressional Republicans work to slash Social Security—confirming Wall Street executive Frank Bisignano, who has backed billionaire Elon Musk's spending cuts at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to run the program this week.
"While Republicans are pushing a $7 trillion tax giveaway to the ultrarich, we're working to protect the benefits that millions of Americans have earned—and we won't let them be stolen to fund another billionaire windfall."
Republicans have also suggested Medicare could be slashed in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and have pushed to expand privatized Medicare Advantage plans.
"Working-class seniors pay into Social Security and Medicare their whole careers so they can enjoy a dignified retirement, but they end up paying a much larger share of their income in taxes than billionaires because the tax code is rigged in favor of the rich," said Whitehouse. "As the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans gear up to deliver budget-busting giveaways for their billionaire donors, I will continue pushing to make our tax code fair and protect these twin pillars of retirement security as far as the eye can see."
Actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Social Security Administration estimated that Whitehouse and Boyle's proposal would extend Social Security and Medicare solvency by at least 75 years.
Without new revenue, the trust funds that finance Medicare and Social Security are projected to be 100% solvent only through 2036 and 2033, respectively.
The legislation is endorsed by groups including Social Security Works, the National Council on Aging, and the Center for Medicare Advocacy.
"From my first day in Congress, I've pledged to protect the long-term stability of Social Security and Medicare—two bedrock promises our country made to seniors, workers, and people with disabilities," said Boyle. "Now, with [President] Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE-fueled billionaires openly attacking these programs, that fight is more urgent than ever."
"While Republicans are pushing a $7 trillion tax giveaway to the ultrarich," he said, "we're working to protect the benefits that millions of Americans have earned—and we won't let them be stolen to fund another billionaire windfall."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Warnings Grow Over US and Israel-Backed Plan for Gaza Aid
The plan "contravenes basic humanitarian principles," said a spokesperson for the United Nation's children's agency.
May 09, 2025
United Nations aid officials have rejected a U.S. and Israel-backed plan for aid delivery in Gaza that reportedly involves the use of a private foundation and U.S. military security contractors to deliver far less humanitarian assistance than the besieged enclave needs.
Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), warned Friday that the agency "will not participate."
"There is no reason to put in place a system that is at odds with the DNA of any principled humanitarian organization," Laerke told the BBC.
Since early March, Israel has blocked aid from entering Gaza, compounding widespread misery and hunger in the besieged enclave as Israel continues to mount a deadly military campaign there. U.N. officials have decried the fact that aid is close at hand but is not being allowed in.
Speaking in Jerusalem on Friday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that the plan involves a private U.S.-backed foundation, which will distribute aid from a set number of distribution sites, according to CNN. Huckabee said the idea is to create a system that prevents Hamas from obtaining the aid.
The private entity, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, would administer those distribution sites using private U.S. military contractors and aid workers, according to CNN.
The plan reportedly entails only allowing 60 aid trucks a day, a sliver of what was allowed to enter the enclave during the two-month cease-fire that Israel ended in March. A document from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation states that there will initially be four distribution sites aimed at providing 1.2 million Palestinians in its first phase, or 60% of Gaza's population.
According to the The New YorkTimes, under the current aid distribution system, the U.N. says there are 400 distribution points.
Huckabee said that Israel would not be involved in delivering aid, but that Israeli forces would handle security around the distribution sites.
The Times of Israel, citing officials familiar with the plan, reported that the Israeli government and military have been involved in putting the plan together, even if the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is the entity that is slated to distribute the aid.
Reporting from The Washington Postpublished Monday, which cited unnamed Israeli officials and aid workers, framed the emerging plan as an Israeli initiative to take control of aid distribution in Gaza. The Post's reporting also stated that the distribution centers would be all be located in the south of Gaza.
The Post spoke with officials from a dozen international aid groups working in Gaza, who expressed concerns that restricting aid to a few locations would force more displacement and be discriminatory.
James Elder, spokesperson for the U.N.'s children's agency UNICEF, echoed this, according to the BBC, saying on Friday that the proposed plan would lead to more children suffering and that the decision to locate all the distribution centers in the south appeared designed to weaponize aid as "bait" to force Palestinians to be displaced once again.
The plan "contravenes basic humanitarian principles" and appears designed to "reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic," Elder said, according to U.N. News.
Keep ReadingShow Less
'This Is Not Normal': Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at Contested ICE Detention Facility
"They are arresting elected officials for peacefully opposing the regime's illegal actions."
May 09, 2025
This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates...
Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday afternoon at a newly reopened immigrant detention facility in New Jersey's largest city.
Baraka was accompanying three of the state's congressional Democrats to Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility operated by the private prison company the GEO Group.
The 1,196-bed facility—the first immigrant detention center to open since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office in January after campaigning on mass deportations—began housing detainees on May 1, despite an ongoing legal battle over its operation.
Video footage posted online shows a verbal altercation between Baraka—who is running for governor and has been critical of ICE action under Trump—and men in blue jackets labeled "police."
According toPIX11:
Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join a scheduled tour of the facility with three members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
When federal officials blocked his entry, a heated argument broke out, according to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. It continued even after Baraka returned to the public side of the gates.
"There was yelling and pushing," Martinez said. "Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car."
Amanda Lee, a journalist with New Jersey's News 12, posted footage of the crowd near the gate and the mayor being led away in handcuffs.
Alina Habba, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey,
said on social media that Baraka "committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW."
Baraka's office told PIX11 that the mayor was taken to an ICE field office at 620 Frelinghuysen Ave. in Newark, adding that "we are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available."
The members of Congress explained on social media that they were at the facility to conduct oversight. As Watson Coleman put it: "We're at Delaney Hall, an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city and in violation of local ordinances. We've heard stories of what it's like in other ICE prisons. We're exercising our oversight authority to see for ourselves."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement that did not address Baraka's arrested but said that "as a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility," naming Menendez and Watson Coleman.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that "members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk. Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility. This is an evolving situation."
The department also claimed that "the allegations made by Newark politicians that Delaney does not have the proper permitting are false. We have valid permits, and inspections for plumbing and electricity, and fire codes have been cleared."
Responding to the news of Baraka's arrest on social media Friday, Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois, said in all caps: "They are arresting elected officials for peacefully opposing the regime's illegal actions. Do not allow them to overwhelm you. This is not normal."
I am outraged by the unjust arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka earlier this afternoon outside of Delaney Hall in Newark. I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement.
[image or embed]
— Governor Phil Murphy (@govmurphy.bsky.social) May 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, said in a statement that "Mayor Baraka's arrest during an oversight visit to an ICE facility in Newark is shocking overreach of power, even by Trump standards."
"Trump and his cronies are pulling straight from the authoritarian playbook. They want to silence anyone who seeks to hold them accountable," he added. "Mayor Baraka must be released immediately, and New Jersey elected officials must be allowed inside the Delaney Hall ICE facility."
ACLU of New Jersey executive director Amol Sinha similarly condemned Baraka's arrest as "a shameful escalation of the Trump administration's intimidation campaign against officials who refuse to do their bidding."
"Mayor Baraka—and lawmakers across New Jersey and the country—are being targeted by the Trump administration for refusing to be complicit with its ongoing violations of due process," said Sinha. "Mayor Baraka must be immediately released from custody, and the Trump administration must end its assault on the fundamental rights at the core of our democracy."
The group Indivisible declared his arrest "a warning sign of just how far Trump and his allies are willing to go to silence dissent," and "authoritarian behavior, plain and simple."
"For months, Trump has been using ICE as a political weapon, targeting immigrants, communities of color, and students exercising their right to free speech," Indivisible noted. "Now, it's being used to intimidate elected officials who dare to speak out. That should alarm everyone."
"Mayor Baraka was peacefully demanding answers on dangerous policies that hurt his community. He was being a leader. We demand the immediate release of Mayor Baraka, and an end to these unlawful and unconstitutional detainments. We won't be intimidated or silenced," the group added. "We stand with Mayor Baraka and every brave leader who refuses to back down, and call on every other elected leader to follow his courageous example."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular