UPDATE: Springs representative apologizes for comments on attack in which baby was cut from woman’s womb
Republican Representative Gordon Klingenschmitt of Colorado Springs has issued an apology for suggesting that an attack in which a Longmont woman had her baby cut from her womb was punishment from God.
Scroll to the bottom of this article to watch the apology video and the video that prompted the controversy.
The apology comes about 4 minutes into a video posted on his YouTube channel Monday morning.
In the video, Klingenschmitt says “I want to take a moment and issue a public apology for some words that I said on this show in a previous broadcast. When we previously reported this story last week, I was angry. And, maybe you can understand a little bit of my righteous anger against the perpetrator of this horrific crime, against the demonic spirit of murder that this human cooperated with voluntarily, and the tragic act of violence against this innocent woman. I was angry, and I said some things that were insensitive, and offensive to many of you. And for that I apologize.”
Klingenschmitt also took the media to task in the video, specifically calling out several reporters who he says misquoted him. “I’m not going to apologize for things I didn’t say, but I will apologize for what I did say,” he said.
Klingenschmitt issued the apology in response to the fallout from comments he made on the March 24 edition of his show.
That fallout included his removal from the House Health, Insurance & Environment committee, according to the Denver Post. The newspaper also reported that Klingenschmitt decided to suspend his ministry for six weeks to focus on his job at the capitol.
About 18 minutes into the March 24 episode, while discussing the crime he said the following:
“This is the curse of God upon America for our sin of not protecting innocent children in the womb. And part of that curse, for our rebellion against god as a nation, is that our pregnant women are ripped open.”
Klingenschmitt stood by his comments in an interview with KDVR-TV Thursday afternoon. “I believe the Bible and I quoted the Bible and I applied it to current events,” Klingenschmitt said. “If other people are offended by the Bible, that’s okay, they don’t have to agree with me or come to my church or watch my TV show. It’s a free country.”
A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and former Navy Chaplain, Klingenschmitt represents House District 15, which covers the eastern half of Colorado Springs.
Police say Michelle Wilkins, 26, was lured to a home in Longmont by a Craigslist ad offering baby clothes. They say Dynel Lane, 34, stabbed Wilkins and took the baby from her womb. The baby did not survive. Wilkins was released from the hospital on Wednesday.
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