Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

GOP State Rep. Sparks Outrage After Saying Death Of A Child From Abuse Is 'Benefit To Society'

David Eastman; screenshot of Alaska state House Judiciary hearing
Alaska Legislature

Alaskan State Rep. David Eastman, a pro-Trump Republican with ties to the Oath Keepers, ignited a firestorm after saying it's a financial 'benefit to society' when a child dies of abuse.

Alaskan State Representative David Eastman is facing extreme backlash after he questioned whether his state would benefit from victims of child abuse dying during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on adverse childhood experiences.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), according to the CDC, can include experiencing or witnessing violence, abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences.


Documents distributed to lawmakers during the hearing contained an estimate that, when a child dies because of abuse, it can cost their family and society at large $1.5 million because they aren't given the chance to grow up and join the workforce.

Eastman apparently took issue with this estimate.

He responded by commenting he had heard it argued children dying because of abuse actually economically benefit a society.

"It can be argued, periodically, that it’s actually a cost savings because that child is not going to need any of those government services that they might otherwise be entitled to receive and need based on growing up in this type of environment."

You can see an excerpt from the hearing here:

His colleagues reacted immediately with extreme disapproval.

Some like Democratic Representative Cliff Groh said they were "disturbed" by Eastman's comment.

Democratic Representative Andrew Gray later told his colleagues he and his husband adopted their child through the foster care system and their child had multiple ACEs before coming to live with the couple.

While Gray recognized it might not have been intended that way, but said Eastman's comment came across as though he was implying their child would have been better off dead.

Gray said:

"I would just say for me personally, my child is the greatest joy I’ve ever had—that there is no price tag on that."

House Judiciary Chair Republican Representative Sarah Vance thanked Gray for sharing his story, but neither she nor her GOP colleague Eastman apologized for the statement which led Gray to feel the need to share in the first place.


Eastman has since claimed he was trying to point out the ridiculousness of the argument and compare it to arguments for abortion rights, but his fellow lawmakers apparently didn't follow his thought process.

He further excused himself by blaming the organization presenting during the hearing—Alaska Children’s Trust.

"You have a group that’s come to the Legislature and argued that it’s in the best interest of society and the public and the state to prevent unwanted pregnancies … And now they come on Monday, and the same organization is arguing that, again, they want funding to prevent the very child abuse that they are empowered and focused on preventing."
"If we are to honor that request, then why is it that they are also asking for us to spend money to end the lives of the very children that they’re seeking to protect?"

Vance, who is opposed to abortion herself, later said she believed Eastman was trying to make an anti-abortion argument—claiming many people think of abortion as child abuse.

The Alaska State House later voted 35-1 to censure Eastman for his comments, with the only opposing vote coming from Eastman, marking the 3rd time he has been reprimanded for his behavior in the house.

Those reprimands even included a House subcommittee finding Eastman violated the state's Legislative Ethics Act.

Censure doesn't really carry any concrete consequences, though, and some Alaskans have spoken out saying the measure isn't enough.

Former Representative Colleen Sullivan-Leonard, also a Republican, reacted to the news the House had moved to censure Eastman by tweeting:

"Censuring does nothing to discipline Eastman, or any other elected official."


Given Eastman has been censured twice before and people continue to vote for him, it seems unlikely this latest incident will have much effect on his ability to hold office.

More from News

Screenshots of Justin Bieber being hounded by paparazzi
X17OnlineVideo

Fans Defend Justin Bieber After He Confronts Paparazzi For Constantly Hounding Him

Fans defended Justin Bieber after he berated the relentless paparazzi and accused them of only being concerned with turning a profit over valuing people's lives.

According to X17, the "Intentions" singer's retreat to Palm Springs, days before the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, was anything but relaxing as he clashed with the paparazzi for a third day in a row.

Keep ReadingShow less
RFK Jr.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

RFK Jr. Slammed After Claiming HHS Will Discover The Cause Of 'Autism Epidemic' By September

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that scientists would determine the cause of the "autism epidemic" by September, even though scientists haven't discovered a breakthrough despite decades of research.

In a cabinet meeting with Republican President Donald Trump on Thursday, RFK Jr. stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
J.D. Vance and Usha Vance listen to Susan Meyers during his Greenland visit
Jim Watson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Space Force Commander Fired Over Email Criticizing Vance's Greenland Comments

Vice President J.D. Vance and the wider Trump administration are facing criticism now that Colonel Susan Meyers was removed from her post as commander at Greenland's Pituffik Space Base after breaking with Vance in an email she wrote following his controversial visit to the island territory.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, alongside the Faroe Islands, the only other autonomous territory within the Kingdom. Citizens of both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are full citizens of Denmark. As one of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union, Greenland’s citizens are also recognized as EU citizens.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt and Scott Bessent
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Dragged After Making Mind-Numbing Claim About Trump's Tariffs Reversal

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is getting called out after she attempted to justify President Donald Trump's sudden reversal on his proposed tariffs, telling reporters that his actions make sense because he has a master plan to make the world bend the knee.

Trump declared a full 90-day suspension of all the “reciprocal” tariffs that took effect at midnight April 10—except for those on China—in a dramatic about-face from a president who had long championed his historically high tariff rates as permanent.

Keep ReadingShow less
religion signs
Noah Holm on Unsplash

People Explain What Stopped Them From Going To Church Anymore

There's been a perception of a bit of an exodus from religion for the last several decades. But humanity has gone from no organized religions to oppressive religious regimes to rebellion and back again over the last several millennia.

But is the 21st century when religion finally fails to bounce back?

Keep ReadingShow less