When Elon Musk told X users that we are the media now, he was correct. It happened because legacy media decided to jettison objective journalism in favor of Democratic Party partisan propaganda.
This is a prime example of citizen journalism in action but first, here's some background.
Rep. Brittany Pettersen was pregnant and gave birth to her daughter before a crucial vote. Congress, which has rules and norms, doesn't allow for remote voting. So Rep. Pettersen took her infant daughter across the country for the vote.
Media, of course, are turning this into a feminist crusade and an injustice against women. Or something.
"This isn't designed for young families and for young women, especially."
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 26, 2025
Rep. Brittany Pettersen flew across the country with her 4-week-old baby to cast a crucial vote — because Congress doesn’t allow remote voting for new parents. Now, she and a bipartisan group of lawmakers… pic.twitter.com/41qK5kwc6K
Pettersen took office in January 2023. She was aware of the rules about remote voting before she had a child.
And now someone did some digging that the media didn't do:
Thread:
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
I cannot believe that I have to do what journalists refuse to do. Brittany Pettersen is a representative from District 7 in Colorado.
Her is what actually happened and how she used her baby as a prop in a political stunt. https://t.co/JFWUmraAK2
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We'll give you the entire thread:
Brittany had a baby four weeks ago. She went on maternity leave, even though she is supposed to be representing her district.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
Now, Congress doesn't have maternity leave but members can take time off. She was taking time off. Of a job that will last 2 years if not reelected. pic.twitter.com/68vDeX5DUc
Right. She knew this when she was elected.
Now, Pettersen has a staff of five individuals who book her flights, attend to her schedule, and do the lion's share of her work. Most people don't have access to that type of support.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
She also has a budget for travel. Like flying back and forth across the country.
The majority of working mothers don't have this.
What else? She has a husband. Another politically connected individual who has earned minimally $110K per year as a founder of ProgressNow Colorado and a consultancy, The Bighorn Company. That company received a $380K grant from Jefferson Co in CO. pic.twitter.com/ZV3xDZ2UTE
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
Ah.
Pettersen's husband paid himself and his partner almost $180K in fees. IOW, Pettersen and her husband are what most people would consider quite comfortable. Their household income comes in at least around $300K per year. Off of the taxpayers.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
Like pigs to a trough.
Of course.
So, what could Pettersen have done? She could have left her kid with her self-employed husband, while booking a flight from Denver the night before and a return flight back home by the next afternoon. Like professional women around the country do.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
She made a choice.
If she didn't want to be away from her daughter for 24 hours, then she could have had her staff hire a nanny to take care of the kid while she voted.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
What she didn't need to do was take her kid onto the House floor. Like a martyr. pic.twitter.com/OGyUDSiogy
Exactly.
And she certainly doesn't need to take time off and then get the perk of voting remotely, which other women and men would not be able to. Life is about choices. If you can't figure out how to have a kid and do your job, then resign.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
This writer is a mom who had three kids and who has worked from the time they were born. She always figured out a way to balance child care and her job without playing the victim card.
But she knew what she was doing. The baby was a prop, and this was a political stunt. The media ate it up.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
The problem is that most people see right through this. All this is doing is causing people like me to throw up my hands and say a pox on your houses. pic.twitter.com/Dol5eWvgaB
It's very off-putting.
Babies are a good thing. Motherhood is a good thing. But it's the height of hypocrisy for Democrats to prop her up as some brave hero for this.
Pettersen was no hero. She was someone who wanted that sweet attention. Many of us know people like this. Attention seeking. Selfish. Grandstanding.
— David Chavous (@DACDAC4DAC) February 27, 2025
Good luck to her kids.
In the age of Trump, it comes off as a girl-boss move, which is insulting to women and mothers who don't have the privilege Petterson enjoys.
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