Conservatives seize on Alabama state Dem’s abortion comments

Republicans pounced Wednesday on remarks made by an Alabama state representative opposing a state bill that would criminalize abortion.

State Rep. John Rogers (D) said abortion “ought to be a woman’s choice,” before adding, “Some kids are unwanted, so you kill them now or you kill them later.”

“You bring them in the world unwanted, unloved, and you send them to the electric chair. So, you kill them now or you kill them later,” he continued, according to a video posted online.

{mosads}The comments were widely circulated among conservatives and other right-leaning media outlets the day after an Alabama bill banning nearly all abortions passed the state’s House of Representatives. 

If the bill becomes law, the measure would criminalize abortions in all cases unless the health of the woman was in danger. It would also make it a Class C felony for a doctor to perform the procedure in the state.

The video, which was posted by a reporter for conservative outlet The Daily Wire, sparked sharp backlash from conservatives.

President Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. called the remarks “stomach curling.”

This is stomach curling and makes Ralph Northam look like a moderate on abortion.

Every Democrat running for President needs to be asked where they stand on this. The extreme turn we’ve seen from Dems on abortion recently is truly sickening. https://t.co/KchZfqvQMK

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 1, 2019

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) highlighted the clip to denounce Alabama Sen. Doug Jones’s stance on supporting abortion.

Jones has since condemned Rogers’s remarks.

“I thought it was outrageous. I was absolutely appalled. I didn’t see that until this morning,” he said during a call on Thursday with Alabama media, according to his spokeswoman Caroline Stonecipher. 

“I think he owes an apology to the people of the state. I think he owes an apology to members of the legislature. That is one of the problems with discussing these types of issues, people get emotional and people tend not to respect each other’s opinions as much, and you end up with comments like this. It is very, very unfortunate and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” he added. 

It’s an abomination that Alabama has a Senator in @DougJones who is unabashedly pro-abortion & refuses to stand up to this type of extremism from members of his party in defense of innocent human life.

Alabama deserves a 100% pro-life voice representing us in the US Senate. https://t.co/Mpz5EbXhaI

— Bradley Byrne (@BradleyByrne) May 1, 2019 

WHAT!? https://t.co/gMCAo7rbYS

— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) May 1, 2019

A reporter for conservative outlet The Daily Caller called Rogers “sick in the head.” 

This man is sick in the head. Absolutely disgusting. https://t.co/M61hkRclHV

— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) May 1, 2019

Alabama State Rep. John Rogers (D) on abortion:

“Some kids are unwanted, so you kill them now or you kill them later. You bring them in the world unwanted, unloved, you send them to the electric chair. So, you kill them now or you kill them later”

OMG

pic.twitter.com/LO4YDU6wXz

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 1, 2019

The Hill has reached out to Rogers’s office for comment.