Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersTrump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Sanders tells Maher 'there will be a number of plans' to remove Trump if he loses Sirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters MORE (I-Vt.) is revoking his congressional endorsement for Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur to fill the House seat vacated by former Rep. Katie Hill Katherine (Katie) Lauren HillObama counsels NBA players on forming a social justice committee Republicans cast Trump as best choice for women House GOP campaign chairman insists party will win back majority MORE (D-Calif.) as the media personality continues to come under fire for comments he’s made about women.

“As I said yesterday, Cenk has been a longtime fighter against the corrupt forces in our politics and he’s inspired people all across the country,” Sanders, a top-tier candidate in the Democratic 2020 presidential primary, said in a statement. “However, our movement is bigger than any one person.”



"I hear my grassroots supporters who were frustrated and understand their concerns. Cenk today said he is rejecting all endorsements for his campaign, and I retract my endorsement,” he added before tweeting out a similar statement.

.@cenkuygur has been a longtime fighter against corruption. However, our movement is bigger than any one person. I hear my supporters who were frustrated and understand their concerns. Cenk today said he is rejecting all endorsements for his campaign and I retract my endorsement. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 13, 2019

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Sanders initially announced his endorsement for Uygur on Thursday, noting that he hosts a television program that supports a litany of progressive priorities, including implementing “Medicare for All,” Sanders's signature health care proposal. Uygur also endorsed Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary and in his current White House bid.

Besides Sanders, Uygur had also won the endorsements of Rep. Ro Khanna Rohit (Ro) KhannaOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package The movement to reform animal agriculture has reached a tipping point MORE (D-Calif.) and former Ohio state senator Nina Turner, who is now co-chairwoman of Sanders's presidential campaign.

Uygur said Friday that he appreciates the support from Sanders, Khanna and Turner, but will not be accepting any endorsements in his House campaign.

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“Their stance took real courage in the face of the corporate media and Democratic establishment onslaught,” he said in a statement. “I want to be free of any influence other than the voters of CA-25. I will not be beholden to corporations, lobbyists or special interest groups, and I will not stand by while those groups attack my political allies. That’s why I have decided that I will not be accepting any endorsements.”

The announcements come as Uygur plays defense amid scrutiny over past derogatory remarks he made about women.

“Obviously, the genes of women are flawed,” he wrote in a 1999 blog post. "They are poorly designed creatures who do not want to have sex nearly as often as needed for the human race to get along peaceably and fruitfully.”

Uygur also another post outlining the "rules of dating," including that there “must be orgasm by the fifth date.”

“First of all, I wrote that stuff 19 years ago; I deleted it 15 years ago,” Uygur said on CNN this month. “I deleted it not because I thought I'd get caught or someone would find it, I deleted it because I didn't believe it anymore. This is not me. I was trying to be a stupid, politically-incorrect Republican. So I wrote these things I knew were offensive.”

Uygur also defended himself this week from remarks he made in a 2013 episode of his show in which he ranked women on a scale from one to 10 based on how likely men would be to perform oral sex on them, among other things. Uygur told The Los Angeles Times that he should not be criticized for having “frank conversations about sex.”

Uygur is running against state Rep. Christy Smith to fill Hill’s seat. Smith, who has emerged as a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, has won the support of several top California Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom Gavin Newsom Newsom signs law allowing transgender inmates to be placed in prison by their gender identity OVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 MORE, Sens. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinHawley warns Schumer to steer clear of Catholic-based criticisms of Barrett Senate GOP set to vote on Trump's Supreme Court pick before election Trump taps Amy Coney Barrett for Supreme Court, setting up confirmation sprint MORE and Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisPelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act What Kamala Harris' VP nomination means to us Harris slams Trump's Supreme Court pick as an attempt to 'destroy the Affordable Care Act' MORE and Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for SCOTUS confirmation hearings before election Will Democrats attempt to pack the Supreme Court again? MORE.