Republican Iowa Rep. Steve King on Friday refused to apologize for his controversial remarks advocating for abortions to be banned even in cases of rape and incest.
King conceded he could have stated his comments “in a little softer way” but said some genealogists have reached out to him to back up his remarks.
“I would point out that genealogists have contacted me and said that’s 100% correct. I’d deliver that in a little softer way, though. And a softer way is this: Most of us have seen the movie It’s a Wonderful Life,” King said in reference to the 1946 film and how the character George Bailey views life in his community as if he had never had been born. “Think what that means to all of us.”
“Every life is precious, no matter what the circumstances are or how they came to be,” King said during a news conference.
King stated that Republican politicians who approved of abortion exceptions for rape and incest victims could not be considered “philosophically pro-life,” and instead used abortion as a ploy to gain favor in the party.
The Iowa Republican also quoted a Bible verse in his defense, saying, “The son shall not bear the crimes of the father, nor the father bear the crimes of the son.”
King has been criticized by both parties in recent weeks after he wondered whether there would be “any population of the world left” had rape and incest not occurred. He made those incendiary comments at the Westside Conservative Club in Des Moines as he was defending pro-life legislation that would ban abortion in all cases, including outlawing the procedure for victims of rape and incest.
“What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled those people out that were products of rape and incest? Would there be any population of the world left if we did that?” King said. “Considering all the wars and all the rapes and pillages taken place and whatever happened to culture after society? I know I can’t certify that I’m not a part of a product of that.”
King received condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats, and many anti-abortion activists noted his comments were not shared by the majority of people who oppose abortion.
Many pro-life advocates who stood by the Iowa Republican’s views on abortion joined King at Friday’s news conference, including Save the 1 President Rebecca Kiessling, Iowa Right to Life Executive Director Caitlyn Dixson, Iowans for Life Executive Director Maggie DeWitte, Personhood Iowa Executive Director Tim Overlin, and “Truth of Our Time” host Tamara Scott.
