VA Gov. Northam Endorses Letting Newborns Die If It’s ‘What the Mother and the Family Desire’
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) defended a proposed bill that would allow abortions during labor in an interview, even appearing to take it a step further by saying a newborn baby would still be allowed to die if that is what the family wanted in special circumstances.
Heartbreaking… This isn’t in New York, this isn’t in California, this happened just this week right here in Virginia. @VAHouseDems proposed legislation to provide abortions up to just seconds before that precious child takes their first breath. Watch for yourself. pic.twitter.com/AxgPVyI6kU
— VA House GOP (@vahousegop) January 29, 2019
Saying he was not in attendance for a debate on the bill, Northam said the decision should be made by the family and doctors.
“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother,” Northam explained.
“I think this was really blown out of proportion. But again we want the government not to be involved in these types of decisions. We want the decision to be made by the mothers and their providers,” he added. “And this is why Julie, that legislators, most of whom are men by the way, shouldn’t be telling a woman what she should or shouldn’t be doing with her body.”
The full interview can be viewed below, via WTOP:
UPDATE –– 3:55 pm ET: Northam’s office issued this statement addressing his remarks:
Statement from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) spokesman Ofirah Yheskel on his abortion remarks:
"The governor's comments were limited to the actions physicians would take in the event that a woman [facing nonviable pregnancy or severe fetal abnormalities] went into labor." pic.twitter.com/7FHeRbkobF
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 30, 2019
[image via screengrab]
