U.S. congresswoman demands late-term abortionist have his medical license revoked: 'Ignored for a year'

A U.S. congresswoman demanded that an infamous late-term abortionist operating out of Washington, D.C. have his medical license revoked amid a year of inaction following reports that he was performing late-term and potential partial birth abortions. 

Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna called on officials to rescind late-term abortionist Cesare Santangelo's medical license during a House Oversight Committee Hearing on D.C. Crime Wednesday, because officials have taken no action in the year since five dead babies, victims of late-term abortions and potential victims of illegal partial birth abortions were linked to the D.C.-based Washington Surgi-Clinic. 

During the House hearing, Rep. Luna displayed images of the babies known as "the Five" and began tearing up as she explained that on March 25, 2022, the pro-life group, the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU), received a box containing the bodies of 115 babies, five of which were full term that Luna said were "born alive." 

PAAU's founder Terrisa Bukovinac and pro-life activist Lauren Handy received the fetal remains from a worker at the Washington Surgi-Clinic before they were to be incinerated at a medical waste facility.

"Lauren and I will carry the memories of these children with us forever and we will never stop fighting for their justice," Bukovinac said in a statement to Fox New Digital. "We are so grateful to Rep. Luna for her courage and we demand that congress follow her lead by conducting hearings for these children, holding their killer to account, and by passing a national ban at viability to ensure these crimes against humanity never happen again."

Rep. Luna told Fox News Digital that when she asked D.C. council members if they agreed Dr. Santangelo’s medical license should be revoked, "they said yes," adding that many in the audience could not even look at the photo evidence. 

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

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"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," she added. "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."

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

"When confronted face to face with the pictures of these children that were left to die and the facts that this monster had killed a woman during a botched abortion, even they couldn’t avoid the truth and that speaks volumes," Luna said in her statement. "Santangelo needs to be brought to justice for his crimes against children and their mothers – and getting the council to admit this is a step closer."

Authorities have also not addressed if the five babies were alive when they were extracted, but pro-life doctors and activists believe that Santangelo might have performed illegal partial birth abortions in violation of the Partial Birth Abortion Act of 2003. 

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"There appears to be an incision at the base of the skull, and the head has been decompressed by removing the brain," Former abortionist Kathi Aultman and current scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute previously told the Daily Wire. "This is consistent with an Intact [dilation and evacuation] or [dilation and extraction]. If the baby was alive at the start of this procedure, it would be considered a Partial Birth Abortion and would be illegal."

Emily Erin Osmet, VP of Communications at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in a statement that the group applauded Luna for demanding answers from D.C. authorities about where the investigation stands. 

"Today marks one year and still no justice has been served for the ‘D.C. Five’ – five late-term babies (potentially born alive) were aborted, placed in a bag and headed to an incinerator when a whistleblower intervened and their bodies were turned over to D.C. police," Osmet said in her statement. 

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"One year later we have no answers, no convictions and no accountability, not even autopsies. D.C. police  directed by D.C. politicians – have shown more interest in arresting pro-life advocates for writing on the sidewalk with chalk than in holding abortionists accountable for horrific born-alive abortions," she added. "We call for justice, transparency and accountability for our nation’s most vulnerable children." 

One of the two medical malpractice lawsuits filed against Santangelo in 2020 alleged that a mother was victim to Santangelo's practices after a miscarriage. The woman, Rebecca Carey Charland, was referred to Santangelo for removal of the deceased fetus, but later died after "fetal debris" entered her bloodstream and reached her lungs following a procedure performed by Santangelo. 

He has not faced any repercussions as a result of the allegations and has stated on video that he would allow babies to die if they were born alive after a botched abortion. The clinic performs abortions for women "27 weeks plus," according to its website. 

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"It is deeply disturbing that allegations related to the legal practices and safety protections in this abortion clinic have gone ignored for a year; giving abortion clinics and practitioners a pass," March for Life President Jeanne Mancini said in a statement. "We only need consider Kermit Gosnell to see that similar allegations unchecked caused massive harm not only to the babies taken by abortion but to the many women who suffered grievous consequences from the lack of oversight and accountability."

This article was updated with information about the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising's role in the story.