WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas and other members of the House of Representatives held a press conference Wednesday at the Capitol demanding that a full investigation into the deaths of five late-term aborted babies, called the “DC five” by pro-lifers, be conducted and justice rendered should it come to light that federal crimes were committed by abortionist Cesare Santangelo.
The press conference came a week after the Department of Justice indicated to the Washington, D.C., medical examiner that the government had “no interest” in preserving fetal remains of the five babies or conducting autopsies, which could prove that the federal crimes of infanticide and partial birth abortion were committed.
Numerous members of Congress demanded the remains be preserved for future investigation and that autopsies be properly conducted, with Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas threatening to expand the issue to a full Congressional hearing before the American people should the medical examiner dispose of the bodies.
READ: DOJ advised DC medical examiner to dispose of aborted baby bodies: lawyer for pro-life activists
Calling the situation an “absolute atrocity,” Roy reaffirmed Congress’ power of oversight in the District of Columbia. “We have laws on the books to make sure we do not continue to carry out barbaric practices: partial birth abortion, late-term abortions,” he said. “And we need to make sure that the laws are followed.”
Roy said he was standing up to the “callousness against life” shown by abortion advocates. “We’re going to continue to call this out. We’re going to continue to protect these individual lives, these five precious lives that deserve to be respected,” he said.
Republican Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona joined Roy in condemning the murder of the babies. “The D.C. Five abortions are horrifying, period, full stop,” he said. “When we consider that anyone would use the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion, we must discover what happened and hold those individuals accountable.”
He continued, “Killing a child, let alone five, through a partial birth abortion is a crime under federal law… We need to investigate all of this, we need hearings, we need proper burial for these children, we need to respect their lives… These bodies must be preserved, answers must be had, and further protections must be invoked.”
In a joint letter sent February 8 to Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chief of Police Pamela Smith, Roy and Biggs reminded both that a violation of the partial birth abortion ban and infanticide were federal crimes subject to Congress’ jurisdiction. They wrote:
Nearly two years ago, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) discovered the remains of five preborn children with the assistance of a pro-life advocacy organization. The bodies of the children were reportedly recovered from the abortion provider, Washington SurgiClinic, in Washington, D.C. While MPD maintained that the unborn children were ‘aborted in accordance with the law,’ pro-life advocates assert that there is evidence they were victims of partial-birth abortions. While other methods of abortion unfortunately remain legal in D.C., killing a child through a partial-birth abortion is a crime under federal law. The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortions in 2007.
Every life — born and unborn — is precious and deserves respect, even after life ends. In this case, medical experts alleged two years ago that these children showed signs of being victims of partial-birth abortions, yet no independent examination outside the D.C. Medical Examiner’s office was conducted. Based on evidence collected at the time of recovery and the disturbing photos shared, all five of these children appear to have developed well past the point of viability, and likely suffered severely painful abortion procedures. However, without an independent examination for the purposes of countering the argument of “lawful abortions” it is not known how each child died.
The House Committee on the Judiciary has jurisdiction over criminal law and federal law enforcement pursuant to House Rule X.
Republican Congressman Bob Good of Virginia, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, denounced the “gruesome slaughter of these innocent babies” as “the most heinous of abortion crimes,” demanding that the members of both houses call for an autopsy on the “five precious Americans who were not afforded the liberty that we enjoy today.”
“We all know that life begins at conception,” he said. “The science confirms that, period. We should protect life from conception.”
Republican Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey joined his colleagues on the Hill in denouncing the stonewalling of the DOJ and D.C. authorities, asking, “Where is the compassion? Where is the outrage? Where is the empathy for five precious children who were brutally slaughtered by abortion? Where is the justice? Why the coverup?”
“Under absolutely no circumstances should the D.C. Medical Examiner discard the bodies of the five innocent children whose lives were taken in such a barbaric manner,” Smith continued. “If the DOJ is not going to fulfill its duty to investigate the potential federal crimes committed against these child victims, then Congress should immediately take up its own investigation and demand the preservation of evidence.”
When they were alive, these babies deserved to be treated with respect and compassion. Now, after their violent slaughter, justice must be tenaciously pursued with a thorough investigation into the details surrounding their brutal deaths — no cover ups!
Remember Kermit Gosnell? He butchered babies and stored them — was found guilty in 2013 and went to jail. There are Kermit Gosnells all over America — predators, child abusers, exploiters of women.
Will Americans ever be told the horrifying details as to how and how often abortionists dismember, decapitate, and chemically poison innocent babies? Don’t destroy the evidence. No coverup.
At the end of last week, after several demands from members of Congress, the D.C. medical examiner’s office finally indicated that it would preserve the fetal remains of the five babies in compliance with Congressional oversight but did not indicate whether any autopsies would be conducted. At Wednesday’s press conference, members of the House said they are looking for a medical examiner willing to conduct such autopsies and asked for any leads.
Should it be determined that federal crimes were committed, this could lead to the closure of the mill at which the abortions were performed and the imprisonment of Santangelo. Pro-life members of Congress are also hopeful that the findings could give the impetus needed to repeal the FACE Act, which the Biden administration continues to wield against peaceful pro-life advocates.
The call from pro-life advocates to repeal the controversial law comes after Roy introduced a measure to do just that late last year. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah also introduced a version of the same legislation in the Senate.
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