Rep. King criticized for ‘rape and incest’ comments
URBANDALE, Iowa (KWWL) – Iowa Representative Steve King is making headlines again after comments explaining his reasons for not including rape or incest in abortion legislation.
“What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled out anyone who was a product of rape or incest? Would there be any population of the world left if we did that?” said Representative King. “Considering all the wars and all the rapes and pillages that happened throughout all these different nations, I know that I can’t say that I was not a part of a product of that.”
Representative King was speaking to the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale when the comments were made.
This isn’t the first time that King has come under fire having been stripped of his committee assignments in Congress back in January.
A number of politicians have releases statements condemning King’s comments, including his Democratic opponent J.D. Scholten who released this statement:
“Yet again, Steve King puts his selfish, hateful ideology above the needs of the people of Iowa’s 4th district. Excusing violence — in any way — is entirely unacceptable. Here in Iowa, we stand strong together in the face of violence, and strive to create a welcoming and safe community for all people. His comments are disrespectful to survivors and don’t reflect Iowan values. We stand for bringing all people together and fighting for the positive change that we desperately need here in Iowa.”
Scholten lost to King in 2018.
King also faced criticism from his Republican opponent Iowa State Senator Randy Feenstra who said the following:
“I am 100% pro-life but Congressman King‘s bizarre comments and behavior diminish our message and damage our cause. We can’t afford to hand the 4th District to Nancy Pelosi and her allies in Congress. President Trump needs defenders in Congress, not distractions. In the State Senate, I’ve been an effective conservative who has fought for our values and delivered conservative results. I’ll do the same in Congress.”
Democratic Iowa Representative Abby Finkeanauer also released her comments below.
“I am appalled by Representative Steve King’s cruel comments and his blatant disrespect for sexual assault survivors. As someone who strives for bipartisanship, I can tell you, this is not about Republicans or Democrats – this is about King’s pattern of disgracing Iowans with his rhetoric.”
Representative King is up for reelection in 2020.
