Governor responds to backlash for late-term abortion remarks

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Gov. Ralph Northam continues to take heat tonight over his comments on a controversial third trimester abortion bill.

Republicans accuse him of supporting infanticide, but the Democratic governor is saying not so fast.

The bill, which has already been defeated, would have allowed for only one doctor, rather than the required three doctors, to approve a third-trimester abortion if the pregnancy threatens the mother’s life.

In a radio interview on WTOP today, Northam defended the bill, saying, "It’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus that’s non-viable. So in this particular example, 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.”

Prominent Republicans accused the governor of supporting “born-alive abortions.”

In an interview with the Daily Caller, President Donald Trump said, “Do you remember when I said Hillary Clinton was willing to rip the baby out of the womb? That’s what it is. That’s what they’re doing, it’s terrible.”

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) tweeted, “I never thought I would see the day America had government officials who openly support legal infanticide.”

Northam’s communications director issued a statement clarifying his remarks.

The statement said “No woman seeks a third trimester abortion except in the case of tragic or difficult circumstances, such as a nonviable pregnancy or in the event of severe fetal abnormalities, and the governor’s comments were limited to the actions physicians would take in the event that a woman in those circumstances went into labor.”

Northam’s office says Republicans are mischaracterizing his statement for political gain.

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