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RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2023--

When a draft of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v Jackson opinion that would overturn Roe v Wade leaked in May of last year, US Senator Tina Smith had only three words. “This is bulls***,” the Minnesota Democrat tweeted. She had similar words when Walgreens announced in March of this year it would not dispense abortion pills in states where abortion remained legal. Ms Smith told The Independent in a phone interview that she knew the consequences of overturning the enshrined constitutional right to seek an abortion from her time working at Planned Parenthood as the Minnesota branch’s executive vice president for external affairs. She said her time working there taught her about the effects restrictions have on women’s lives. “The first thing I realized is that for women facing a decision about what to do about an unplanned pregnancy, a pregnancy that they don't want, this is a purely personal decision for them,” she said. “As a policymaker, why do Republicans in the Senate and in state legislators around the country think that they know better than those women whose stories they'll never know? Why do they think that they should be the ones who decide? It’s those women's decisions.” Ms Smith said that the Dobbs decision has led to rooting the question of abortion rights in terms of personal freedom. “You know, they can see this, these stories of individuals and doctors that are trying to provide the best health care, get the best health care for people, and you know, they unable to do that and they can see that that's just wrong,” she said. Sen Smith arrived under peculiar circumstances after then-Governor Mark Dayton nominated her, while she was serving as lieutenant governor of Minnesota, to replace Sen Al Franken amid multiple allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour. Similarly, she has often been overshadowed by Minnesota’s senior Democratic Sen Amy Klobuchar, who ran for president. She and fellow midwestern Democratic Sen Tammy Baldwin, of Wisconsin, have a running joke that reporters and Capitol Hill staff often confuse them. In the past year, Sen Smith has emerged as a stronger presence. She wrote some of the climate provisions in what would become the Inflation Reduction Act. When Sen John Fetterman (D-PA) left the Senate for a few weeks to undergo treatment for depression, she spoke about her own difficulties with the condition. In addition, she’s emerged as one of the strongest voices defending abortion rights. Ms Smith said the Dobbs decision has made the contrast between Democrats and Republicans clearer. In recent months, Sen Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has blocked military nominations because of the Pentagon’s policy that reimburses people who travel out of state to receive abortions. “What Senator Tuberville is doing is so outside the norms of what we should be doing in the Senate, it's outrageous,” she said. “I just need to point out that what Senator Tuberville is trying to do is to overturn a policy which basically provides women serving in the military with the same access to health care that people that are incarcerated in our federal prisons have.” Few Republicans seem deterred from their opposition to abortion despite the role it played in dulling their efforts to flip the Senate last year. Ms Smith’s colleague Sen Tim Scott (R-SC), now a candidate for president, told the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority Conference last month “thank God almighty for the Dobbs decision.” Former vice president Mike Pence has called for a 15-week national abortion ban. Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump has campaigned as the president who nominated the three Supreme Court justices who made the decision possible. Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, who often places a second distant behind Mr Trump in polls, signed legislation banning abortion after six weeks. As vice chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Ms Smith faces a tough challenge because not only does she have to defend Senate seats in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada – all of which President Joe Biden won in 2020 – she also has to defend Senate seats in three states Mr Trump won twice: Ohio, Montana and West Virginia. “And make no mistake, if Republicans win the Senate or if Republicans win the White House, we can see from their statements, they're going to move to pass a national ban on abortion,” she said, noting how many GOP candidates for Senate oppose abortion. “So, this is the contrast, this is what voters will be confronted with when they cast their votes in 2024,” she said. “Do you want to elect individuals who think they know better, that they should be the ones making decisions, individuals that want to ban abortion rights? Or do you want to elect Democrats who believe that women and not politicians should be making their own health care decisions?” At the same time, Democrats face huge challenges to codify abortion rights. Last week, Mr Biden told donors he was personally uncomfortable with abortion. “I'm a practising Catholic,” he said on Tuesday. “I'm not big on abortion, but guess what? Roe v Wade got it right.” Sen Smith defended Mr Biden’s actions defending abortion rights. “I believe that the President and the administration have moved decisively in all the ways that they can as they look for other ways to the practical reproductive freedom, that's a good thing,” she said. “I'm proud of the work that they've done. I think ultimately, the action that we need to take is legislative action, and that is why we need to win these elections.” Last year, shortly after the Dobbs leak, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tried to put the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have codified the protections in Roe, to a vote. But Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) opposed the measure. Even then, Sen Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who later left the Democratic Party to become an independent, opposes removing the filibuster, which demands a two-thirds majority to pass legislation. Sen Smith said if Democrats with the House, the Senate and the White House again, they should get rid of the filibuster. “And you know, we need to work towards a Senate majority that will not only support reproductive freedom but will also change Senate rules so that we can act on that belief,” she said. “And that I think is going to as I said before, that I believe will be a decisive issue in the in the elections in 2024.” Read More Congresswoman who authored abortion rights bill calls Senate’s inaction to codify Roe v Wade ‘such a crime’ Ritchie Torres, the only openly gay Black man in Congress, on how he fights GOP ‘bullying’ of LGBT+ people Republicans try to thread the needle on abortion on anniversary of the death of Roe 'Rage giving' prompted by the end of Roe has dropped off, abortion access groups say Arizona executive order safeguards abortion seekers and providers from prosecution Why some doctors stay in US states with restrictive abortion laws and others leave

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Bethenny Frankel has criticised TJ Maxx for allegedly selling fake designer shoes, with the reality TV star condemning the retailer over the “scam”. The former Real Housewives of New York City star, 52, reflected on her purchase of what turned out to be fake Manolo Blahnik heels in a series of videos uploaded to her TikTok and Instagram accounts. In the first video, uploaded last week, Frankel was shopping in TJ Maxx along with her fiancé Paul when she came across a pair of pink heels, which were labelled Manolo Blahnik. In the video, the reality star-turned-influencer could be seen trying on the $869 shoes in the store, before telling viewers: “These are coming home with me”. However, Frankel realised that the shoes were likely fake after a TikToker named Jack Savoie stitched her TikTok and informed her that the heels were knockoffs. In Savoie’s clip, he began: “Wait, Bethenny babe, those are fake Manolos. I swear these Manolos are fake and they’re at TJ Maxx.” In the TikTok, Savoie acknowledged that TJ Maxx sells designer goods, before claiming that the shoes purchased specifically by Frankel are “fake Manolos”. He then shared his reasoning behind the claim, with the TikToker pointing out the off-centre stitching of the shoe’s label, the difference in font from authentic Manolo heels, and the difference in material used for the sole of the shoe. “Trust me, I sold shoes. I used to sell Manolos. I know this,” the TikToker continued, before concluding: “Bethenny, I think you need to go return those shoes. These are fake. As soon as I saw this, I immediately knew that they were fake.” @jack.savoie #stitch with @Bethenny Frankel #greenscreen GURL these are fake manolos!!!! ♬ original sound - Jack Savoie The video prompted a response from Frankel, who described the realisation as a “scandal”. “This is SUCH a scandal. First, they are only $1,000 retail. That’s a scam to begin with. Second! I JUST ordered the real ones online and will compare,” she wrote in the comments under the video. In the comments, the reality star also noted that it was “weird” that the size 40 fit her “perfectly” when she is typically a size 39. On Bergdorf Goodman’s website, the Manolo Blahnik Hangisimu Satin Crystal Buckle Mules retail for $1,095. Over the weekend, Frankel addressed the situation in a follow-up video, where she described it as the “most effed-up thing yet”. “This is the most effed-up thing yet. Okay, follow Jack Savoie. He did a video after I posted … my 70th video about TJ Maxx, promoting them to the tunes of millions of dollars and followers,” Frankel began. The TV personality then held up the shoes she’d purchased from the retailer, while describing all of the issues Savoie had pointed out with the heels. Frankel then expressed her anger as she noted that she’s “bought tonnes of sh** from” TJ Maxx and that the “prices aren’t great”. @bethennyfrankel Thank you @Jack Savoie #fake #counterfeit #tjmaxx #fakeluxury #fakeluxurygoods #truth #unfluenced #influencer ♬ original sound - Bethenny Frankel “I’ve said that before. There will be an $1,800 bag retail and they’ll have it for $1,500. Sometimes I like the item, I’m in there. The psychology is to feel like it’s a treasure hunt, so you’re finding something. And I love the store,” she continued, before noting that “never did [she] think that there could be a fake product”. In the video, Frankel then revealed that she reached out to TJ Maxx and showed the retailer Savoie’s video, and that, in response, the company told her that it “did not purchase this particular shoe”. “It’s something that rarely happens, with a counterfeit return,” Frankel continued, while noting that Savoie is “amazing” for pointing out the flaws with the fake version of the heels. According to Frankel, the store asked her to provide her receipt, which she said she didn’t have because she doesn’t “return things to TJ Maxx for the most part,” and that the company said it would refund her the money she’d paid. “By the way, the shoes are $1,000 at Bergdorf’s and it was weird that a 40 did fit me,” she said. As for her response to the company’s response, she told viewers: “I effectively, without cursing, said to them: ‘Eff that. No. A, I don’t have the receipt and next, you’re going to send me a larger check.’” After reiterating that she’s already purchased an authentic pair of the heels from Bergdorf Goodman for $1,000, Frankel revealed that she would be keeping the counterfeit shoes. “I’m going to wear these fake counterfeit shoes with pride because I own them now, but do not buy luxury goods at TJ Maxx,” she concluded, before noting that the “original retailer is the safest”. In the comments under her video, Frankel’s followers shared their appreciation for her clarification, and for candidly calling out the retailer. “That’s wild, I would never even think to check stuff from there is real,” one person commented, while another said: “Thank you for always sharing and your honesty in calling someone out when needed!” In a statement to Insider, a spokesperson for TJ Maxx said the company “stands behind the merchandise” it sells before noting that it “sincerely regrets” Frankel’s recent experience. “We believe that this may have been an instance of return fraud, in which an individual returned an item to our store that was not purchased at one of our stores. This unfortunately happens in retail from time to time,” the company said, adding that it has reached out to Frankel “directly” to “work to resolve her concerns”. The Independent has contacted TJ Maxx for comment. Read More Bethenny Frankel accuses reality TV of ‘exploiting’ its stars amid SAG-AFTRA strike Bethenny Frankel claims Jonah Hill made her feel ‘like a loser’ amid emotional abuse allegations Bethenny Frankel responds to joke about her in season two of And Just Like That Schoolboy almost dies from swallowing magnets for TikTok challenge Woman shares honest review of New York City apartment TikTok mom slammed after making 5-year-old son run in 104 degree heat

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Fashion lovers will soon have the chance to own a custom Oscar de la Renta gown worn by Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2014 Met Gala - for the hefty price of $7,500. The black and white floor-length gown is being auctioned on the luxury fashion label’s resale site, Encore, until Friday 29 September. The dress, made custom for the Sex and the City star, features a black velvet bodice with a v-neckline and petal-like pattern at the bottom. The gown’s ivory skirt also includes a trellis embroidery, complete with Oscar de la Renta’s signature at the train. “When Sarah Jessica came to the office for our first design meeting, she had a binder full of references to share with Oscar. It was a truly special collaboration,” said co-creative director Fernando Garcia in a statement. “And for me, who didn’t ever go to design school, it was the biggest fashion lesson I could have gotten - on the floor of Oscar’s office.” The commissioned piece took 224 hours to make. Nine years later, it was returned to the atelier where it was made to be restored to its original condition. Thirty per cent of proceeds from the sale of the dress will benefit the New York Public Library. In 2014, the And Just Like That star recounted the gown’s design process in an interview with Vanity Fair. “I said to Mr de la Renta, please let me use scarlet embroidery thread, and splash your name across the back. It was my idea. He would never in a million years have it done, he’s far too modest,” Parker said at the time. The theme for the 2014 Met Gala was in honour of legendary designer Charles James, called “Charles James: Beyond Fashion”. The dress code called for “White Tie and Decorations” - full evening dress of white bow ties for men and evening gowns for women. Parker, along with actor Bradley Cooper and de la Renta, served as co-chairs for the annual fashion event. Parker’s black and white gown was one of the last designs de la Renta showcased on the red carpet before he passed away in October 2014, five months after the Met Gala. The Hollywood star and fashion icon has been a mainstay on the Met Gala red carpet - which is rolled out every May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City - for many years. Parker recently looked back on some of her many memorable fashion moments, including the time she attended the charity event with late designer Alexander McQueen in 2006. Speaking to Vogue in 2022, Parker explained that she “immediately” wanted to work with McQueen to design their matching tartan ensembles for the Met Gala’s “AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion” theme. However, she felt that she “didn’t really know him well enough to be so presumptuous” to assume he would want to attend with her. “Like everybody else, I was in love with him,” she told Vogue. “I have every pin he dropped from his mouth in my possession still. I have everything he cut off in my possession still. I have things that seem like nothing, from every fitting I ever did with him in my possession.” The groundbreaking designer died in 2010 at the age of 40, and was later commemorated by the Met Gala in 2011 with the theme “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”. For last year’s Met Gala, Parker paid homage to the first Black female designer in the White House - Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley - in a black and white gown designed by Christopher John Rogers. However, the style icon has maintained that preparing for fashion’s biggest night of the year should be “labour intensive”. “All I ever think about is the theme and influence,” she told Vogue in April 2022. “Whenever I go to the Met, I don’t understand how everyone else doesn’t spend seven to ten months working on it. Like how do you not arrive exhausted by the details of getting it right?” “It would be so easy to find a beautiful dress to wear that night,” Parker added. “Like that would be a great relief and like going on vacation. But that is not the assignment, the assignment is the theme.” Read More Sarah Jessica Parker reveals she adopted Carrie’s kitten from And Just Like That Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker feud: A timeline of the beef between Sex and the City co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker rewears iconic Vivienne Westwood wedding dress in And Just Like That Victoria’s Secret was never feminist – why are they bothering to try now? Kim Kardashian debuts buzz cut and thin eyebrows for new photo shoot Travis Kelce wears ‘1989’ inspired outfit after leaving NFL game with Taylor Swift

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