February 22, 2010 6:02 PM

Va. Lawmaker: Disabled Kids are God's Punishment for Abortion

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
In The News
(AP / CBS)
Republican Virginia State Delegate Bob Marshall said at a press conference last week that God is taking "vengeance" on parents who have had abortions by making their other children disabled, according to the News Leader in Central Virginia.

"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically," he reportedly said. "Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children."

"In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord," he added. "There's a special punishment Christians would suggest."

Marshall posted a statement on his Web site distancing himself from the comments.

"No one who knows me or my record would imagine that I believe or intended to communicate such an offensive notion," he wrote. "I have devoted a generation of work to defending disabled and unwanted children, and have always maintained that they are special blessings to their parents. Nevertheless, I regret any misimpression my poorly chosen words may have created as to my deep commitment to fighting for these vulnerable children and their families."

Marshall made the comments at an event calling for Virginia not to offer state funding for the group Planned Parenthood, which performs abortions.

Add a Comment See all 38 Comments
by ten31 March 18, 2010 7:28 PM EDT
Bob Marshal must be the child born after his mothers abortion. what an ass hole and loser. I'm so glad to be an Atheist.
Reply to this comment
by jaynes4444 March 3, 2010 4:04 PM EST
Was he a member of the KKK
Reply to this comment
by jaynes4444 March 3, 2010 4:00 PM EST
What a loser.
And people voted him in WOW
The lord told me someone should punch you in the face you idiot.
Reply to this comment
by delegatebob February 26, 2010 10:17 PM EST
Mr. Speaker, on Thursday February 18th, a press conference was held in the General Assembly, the purpose of which was to demand Planned Parenthood not receive any funds out of the state budget. Media attending included ABC News, Channel 8, CBN, The Washington Post, Richmond Times, The Virginia Pilot, The Associated Press and other fine news sources.

Next day press reports noted comments made at the press conference. Conspicuously absent from all the reports was the claim that any speakers at this press conference made statements calling handicapped children punishment from God for abortion.

Three days later on February 21, Capital News Service claimed that I did in fact make such a statement, yet, no other news service picked up this ?alleged statement.?

Why? Because that statement was never said, period. All of Virginia?s professional journalists missed what a Capital News Service claims to have found? I encourage anyone to go to my web site, www.delegatebob.com to find the entire video of my comments and easily see for themselves, I never made such a comment.

Of course, if some wish to make their own inferences, that is their prerogative. However, they should acknowledge that this is what they are doing. Furthermore, it is no one?s prerogative to claim I spoke words which never came from my mouth, have never been in my heart, and have never been in my public record.

I have championed the rights of children that groups like Planned Parenthood think have no business being born. Everyone deserves a lifetime!

I acknowledge that my extemporary remarks mentioned ?Nature?s vengeance? or ?punishment.? I could have used better words to explain the medical research findings which show a high incidence of complications following induced abortions. I have posted on my web site direct excerpts from 258 peer review studies from the National Library of Medicine as well as the results of research contracts with the US Public Health Service.

Moreover, a 2007 edition of the Journal of Reproductive MEdicine articles notes that 31/5% of all new Cereberal palsy cases occur becase of a previous abortion. And that the cost in the US of this is $1.2 Billion a year.

Actions within Nature are not direct actions of God. It would have been better had I used the words ?natural consequences? to convey my meaning. But even so, not one professional news source attributed a sinister meaning to my words.

Furthermore, my personal and public life show a respect for unwanted or disabled children, including our adoption of three of our own children, one of whom we were told by the adoption agency had a 50-50 chance of carrying a gene that would cause her death as a young adult. We found out years later she did not have the gene. My oldest son, now deceased, took personal care of his quadriplegic friend, taking him to school and sports events.

And I am sure you cannot forget my bills to provide health insurance for autistic children which almost got me kicked out of the Republican Caucus for my hardball tactics. And this year I authored the cord blood bill to help disabled children and First Responders, which this House unanimously supported.

There are powerful interests which seek to prevent this information from reaching women. And, there is the tragedy of Planned Parenthood, which endorses pre-natal diagnosis to eliminate the live birth of persons with disabilities.

The disabled and their families are reacting in part to words I never said, never meant, and don?t believe.

Children, whether wanted or unwanted, intended or unintended, ?normal? or disabled, of any background or are blessings from a loving God. I have held this view from the first day I came here and will hold it to the last day that I serve here.

As to the VCU run Capital News Service, I forgive you for making this slanderous claim about me and my life.

Nevertheless, there remains the journalistic obligation for Capital News Service to correct the record and to publically acknowledge the following:
-You never gave me a chance to defend myself.
-You never checked with me to verify whether I believed your claims or that my meaning was as you suggested.
-You have made inferences about my words, but presented them to the public as if I actually said them.
-Your web site claims to present my full comments but a transcript of my actual comments made available by CBN and now on my website shows you ended my comment in mid sentence and omitted my reference to a VCU study of adverse complications from induced abortion relating to low birth weight and premature birth.
-Your report as to what was allegedly said was NOT verified by professional colleagues or a video of the original press conference.
-You are using equivocal meanings to the terms Nature and God to make a claim about children and the Creator that I never made and don?t believe.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Reply to this comment
by terafied49 January 17, 2012 12:31 PM EST
You are a miserable liar.
by missionmom1 February 24, 2010 12:14 AM EST
wow. and how exactly does this guy know what god's plan is? how do you spell loser?
Reply to this comment
by ssgchester February 23, 2010 5:35 PM EST
People want to know what's wrong with this country?
Well here you have a perfect example. People like this and the bible thumper's have been ruining this country since the 1980's. They take every chance to throw religion into the mix. They do more to destroy this country then help.
As for abortion, it is NONE of their business.
They need to:
1. Mind their own business
2. Quit sticking their noses in other people's personal and private business.
3. Just where they think they have the right to pry into other people's business is beyond me NOR do they have the right too.
4.They are very vocal about the government sticking it's nose in "their" business.
5. Abortion is a personal matter between a women and her doctor. It's not their business.
6. If they have a problem minding their own business I strongly suggest they move to some country like Communist Mainland China, Communist North Korea, Communist Cuba where they are expected to spy on their fellow citizens.
7. Move to some religious fundamentalist country like Iran, or Saudi Arabia where they can stone women till their hearts content.
These clowns are nothing but Communists in Republican clothing.
Reply to this comment
by Palin_for_Presidentess February 23, 2010 11:51 AM EST
Evidently, God has a pretty deranged sense of justice.
Reply to this comment
by amin723 February 23, 2010 11:39 AM EST
obviously my "AIDS started...etc." was a little outrageous, overblown, and based on backyard stories rather than fact, but I am more than agitated by the misrepresentation that's happening right now. The fact remains Marshall didn't say what people are saying he said, nor does he believe it, and his actions prove that.
Reply to this comment
by amin723 February 23, 2010 11:27 AM EST
This is absolutely ridiculous, anyone who knows this man, knows that he is a huge proponent of all life. He was nearly kicked out of the Republican Caucus because he was requesting more aid for autistic people. He has adopted 3 children all of which had the likelihood of being disabled. He is a proud supporter of organizations that help disabled people.

Regarding his comment, he never said God is punishing people for having abortions by giving them disabled children, read the comment he made. He said "nature is taking its vengeance." As in when you have an abortion for what would have been your first born, there is scientific evidence that your next pregnancy will have complications and an increased risk for having a disabled child. He's not demeaning the child in any way. Just like how the first person who had sex with a monkey brought us all AIDS, there was a repercussion for an act that was not intended to happen naturally. That's all he's saying. If I choose to get high off of ecstasy (something not intended by nature) nature will take its vengeance and burn holes in my brain...For this COLLEGE reporter to make up or infer something that was not intended (when several members of the AP, Washington Post, et al. were present) is absolutely ridiculous. It just goes to show to what lengths the Democratic party will go in what will surely be one of the dirtiest years in politics. You people need to learn what someone actually does and believes before you spout that they're going to burn in hell, or how demented and sick they are. Ignorant posters on blogs with little to know knowledge of what Bob Marshall has done for his constituency or what he truly stands for have no place making personal judgments of character based on a lie.
Reply to this comment
by alexk36 February 25, 2010 2:15 AM EST
He said that "nature is taking its vengeance." and this is what was also reported "Republican Virginia State Delegate Bob Marshall said at a press conference last week that God is taking "vengeance" on parents who have had abortions by making their other children disabled, according to the News Leader in Central Virginia.

just so you know there is no scientific evidence that if you have an abortion, you're next child will have increased risk for being disabled. Check your stats, know something of science before you spout your mouth off like you know everything.

A human did not have sex with a monkey that created AIDS. The monkeys already had a disease (SIV simmian immunodeficiency virus... SIV) that became a variant we know as HIV by the African bushman killng these monkeys and selling them to others for food or bushmeat as it was called. The HIV is a mutated form know found in humans. Ecstasy does not burn holes in your brain but it can cause damage with long term use, just like cigarettes and alcohol.

I find your statements full of holes, half truths and not based on any facts. There is supposed to be a separation of church and state and his pushing "morality" on others by making ignorant statements make me sick. I want my politicians to do what is best for the people they represent. Right no it looks like the church people has this politician's ear and if I was getting paid to make stupid statements like this for a lot of cash, why wouldn't I do it? Everyone is dirty in politics, not just the democrats.
by G8R8U2 February 23, 2010 10:50 AM EST
That may be the single most horrible thing I've ever heard come out of a public official's mouth. It's so bad that I'm having trouble finding the proper adjective, although reprehensible, irresponsible, revolting, atrocious, despicable, repugnant, vile, repulsive, wicked, sinful, ignoble, and disgraceful are all a good start. This embarrassment to the human race, in a vain attempt to align himself with God, has just labeled millions of His creations somebody's punishment. The audacity of this narcissist to suggest he knows how or why the Lord works the way He does is utterly mind-boggling. His declaration (and those of "reverends" who support him) is so devoid of compassion and humility (2 virtues most commonly associated with Jesus Christ), that the very utterances make them the furthest thing from Christian. I'm not devout, but even my limited knowledge of Scripture tells me that this man either hasn't read his Bible in a very long time, or doesn't understand a word of what he read.
Reply to this comment
See all 38 Comments
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...