Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna forced District of Columbia officials on Wednesday to address the abortion scandal the city has been ignoring for the past year.

Luna pressed officials with questions about the five preemie sized aborted babies recovered from Washington Surgi-Clinic, where Dr. Cesare Santangelo aborts babies in the Foggy Bottom neigbhorhood of D.C. The abortion clinic boasts of performing “abortions from the earliest stages of pregnancy up until 26 weeks of pregnancy.”

Though it has been a year since the babies were discovered, the Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will not say whether autopsies have been performed on the babies’ bodies or address the possibility that Santangelo is performing illegal abortions. The District does not have any laws that regulate abortions.

“One of Congress’ duties is to provide robust oversight over Washington D.C. and its policies,” Luna told the D.C. officials. “After all, this is the capital city for all Americans. Unfortunately, one of the most egregious of crimes occurred in D.C. with absolutely no hearing or oversight on the situation.”

“On March 25, 2022, a pro-life group received a box containing the bodies of 115 children from a worker that was taking it from Washington Surgi-[Clinic] to be incinerated at a medical waste facility,” she continued. “Inside of this box, along with 110 early-term babies, were five full-term babies.”

Luna asked for the photos of the babies to be submitted to the record before sharing the names of the babies with the hearing.

“The five babies are: Christopher X, a full-term baby boy whose body was almost fully intact. Harriet, a baby girl that was born with one eye open. Phoenix, a baby born en caul (still in the amniotic sac),” she explained. “And Holly and Angel, two babies that were dismembered and mutilated to the point that they were in pieces.”

“Some of my Democrat colleagues repeatedly say that they care about the safety of children and yet they have turned a blind eye to this awful situation,” Luna said. “They can’t even look at these pictures or address it because they know what they are supporting is horrific. This is also known as late term abortion.”

“The lack of oversight on this situation has allowed Dr. Cesare Santangelo, who has two open lawsuits against him for botched abortions, to continue practicing despite these open lawsuits,” she continued. “One of the botched abortions, which killed a woman, showed during an autopsy that there were fetal remains lodged in her lung tissue from the abortion. Her lungs!”

Luna questioned how Santangelo is still allowed to practice as a medical provider, accusing him of charging “up to $12,000” for abortions and championing late-term abortions.

“It’s clear that he has no regard for human life or the Hippocratic Oath,” she added.

The congresswoman then began questioning the council members, asking them whether they are aware of the situation with the babies that she had described.

“After viewing these images, can you explain how this is not homicide under D.C. law?” she asked.

She further questioned D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson about why the D.C. council, under his leadership “worked to protect doctors like Santangelo who have killed patients while refusing to protect the lives of children,” through passing several abortion laws in recent years.

“Do you believe that doctors who intentionally kill the baby at full term within in the womb to avoid persecution under federal law, specifically the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act which was enacted in 2002, should be excused from criminal penalties?” she asked. “Do you consider this practice to be a loophole? Are you working on legislation to expand the Born-Alive Infant[s] Protection Act to close this loophole?”

Her question stems from pro-life activists’ belief that Santangelo has violated the Born Alive Infants Protection Act through allowing infants to die after they were born alive in his botched abortions (undercover videos recorded by a Live Action investigator allegedly showing Santangelo discussing how he would allow babies to die if they were accidentally delivered during abortions).

“Do you believe his actions should be investigated and that D.C. law should be strengthened to prevent these kinds of violations?” she asked.

“I’m appalled that proper oversight was never given when these 115 babies were found last year,” she said. “The abortion laws currently in place protect people like Dr. Santangelo and do not go far enough to protect the safety of women and the lives of innocent children. It is beyond time to provide oversight over the situation and D.C.’s inaction on this case.”

“Today just scratched the surface of the oversight that’s required and your willful disregard for life, the most fundamental human right, makes me question whether D.C. is fit to govern itself,” she continued. “As Congress, we should consider removing the Home Rule.”

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