Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, is backing off his suggestion at a recent news conference that disabled children are a punishment for prior abortions.
On Monday evening, The Arc of Virginia, a group that advocates for the disabled, issued a statement saying that many of its family members are expressing outrage over Marshall's statements.
Arc President Howard Cullum said, "Families don't appreciate statements that can be construed to connect having a disabled child with some religious punishment. Our families don't need the grief or the guilt."
On Thursday, Marshall appeared at a Capitol news conference at which he urged the General Assembly to strip funding from Planned Parenthood.
According to a report by Capital News Service, Marshall said during the news conference:
"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children.
"In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There's a special punishment Christians would suggest."
In a statement released today on his Web site, Marshall said he regretted his "poorly chosen words."
"A story by Capital News Service regarding my remarks at a recent press conference opposing taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood conveyed the impression that I believe disabled children are a punishment for prior abortions," Marshall said.
"No one who knows me or my record would imagine that I believe or intended to communicate such an offensive notion. I have devoted a generation of work to defending disabled and unwanted children, and have always maintained that they are special blessings to their parents.
"Nevertheless, I regret any misimpression my poorly chosen words may have created as to my deep commitment to fighting for these vulnerable children and their families."
Marshall has introduced a budget amendment to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, which he said receives about $500,000 a year.
But The Virginia Department of Health says Planned Parenthood and affiliate organizations in Virginia receive $309,000 in funding and that most of it is in federal grants.
Arc's Cullum, in a statement posted on www.arcofva.org, said families affiliated with Arc "are especially sensitive now because of proposed state budget cuts to critical services that support persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities." He added that Arc appreciates efforts now going on to restore some of the services.
The Arc statement adds, "Historically, Virginia's track record for valuing the lives of people with disabilities has not been good."
Marshall has served in the House since 1992. In 2008 he nearly beat former Gov. Jim Gilmore for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.
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