Susan DeLemus, a New Hampshire Republican state Representative, stunned reproductive rights activists after she referred to them as "murderers" from the steps of the New Hampshire State House.
DeLemus, who has been a fixture in New Hampshire local politics since 2010, also accused activists of "killing babies" and claimed she'd murdered her own, referring to an abortion she'd had more than two decades ago.
She continued to yell at activists for some time, even pointing directly at some of them while continuing to claim they are murdering their children.
You can watch what happened in the video below.
Nothing quite like the tact and grace of an @NHGOP State Rep on the steps of the people's house. Say hello to @SusanDeLemus engaging peaceful protestors this morning. #NHPoliticspic.twitter.com/dtEW7o6dsL— Colin Booth (@Colin Booth) 1651763601
DeLemus yelled:
"Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on all of you! Shame on all of you killing babies!"
[pointing at different activists] "You're a murderer! You're a murderer! You're a murderer!"
"I'm a murderer! I murdered my own baby!"
"Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on all of you!"
The incident occured as reproductive rights activists have rallied around the nation in response to a leaked draft opinion that indicated the Supreme Court's ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization will move to strike down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that protects a person's right to choose reproductive healthcare without excessive government restriction.
While the news has galvanized liberals who've sounded the alarm on what they say is a crucial human rights issue, it has nonetheless envigorated conservatives.
The draft opinion would have sweeping ramifications, resulting in abortion bans in roughly half the country, and comes as Republican-led legislatures nationwide have moved swiftly in recent weeks to curb the right to an abortion and have signaled efforts to further limit access to contraception.
The footage of DeLemus' outburst quickly went viral, prompting many to criticize her and to call for her to be voted out of office.
I wish all good \u201cChristian Republicans\u201d had the same passion for those children that go 2 bed hungry, cant get a good public education, for those living in poverty while living in the richest country in the world.the list can go on and on,but that stuff dont sound sexy on mailershttps://twitter.com/ColinGBooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— Arturow (@Arturow) 1651844654
I'd like to see her crushed in an election.https://twitter.com/ColinGBooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— Patricia (@Patricia) 1651839937
I want you to imagine you\u2019re going to grief counseling after your child is murdered at school and the therapist office is adjacent a planned parenthood clinic.\n\nAnd every time you go, you get shouted at like this.\n\nAnd when you say, \u201cPlease stop.\u201d They don\u2019t.\n\nTrue story.https://twitter.com/colingbooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— Nelba M\u00e1rquez-Greene, LMFT (@Nelba M\u00e1rquez-Greene, LMFT) 1651838611
These are the extremists taking over the country.https://twitter.com/ColinGBooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf08 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf08) 1651839413
Considering this woman\u2019s out of control behavior, I wouldn\u2019t allow her on my driveway, and yet she\u2019s in the people\u2019s house of NH? I\u2019m embarrassed for NH & the USA. #RoeVWade #NHPoliticshttps://twitter.com/colingbooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— SAFE. LEGAL. RARE. PRO CHOICE. (@SAFE. LEGAL. RARE. PRO CHOICE.) 1651844089
There are people like her in every State House or Senate that should be shown the door. Quickly.https://twitter.com/ColinGBooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— Jim G. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6I stand with Ukraine (@Jim G. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6I stand with Ukraine) 1651814514
Great. Now who's the Dem running against her? Let's get to work.\n#AbortionIsHealthcare \n#WomensRightshttps://twitter.com/ColinGBooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— TammySahargun-Anti-Fascist #RBGSentMe (@TammySahargun-Anti-Fascist #RBGSentMe) 1651796959
So @SusanDeLemus had an illegal abortion and now is calling everyone else a murderer? Only in @GOPhttps://twitter.com/colingbooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— Georgia Panopoulos (@Georgia Panopoulos) 1651878032
And this folx, is EXACTLY why buffer zones matter at reproductive health care centers. Imagine this encounter while walking into a care center to receive any number of types of care while this is happening. My heart hurts.https://twitter.com/ColinGBooth/status/1522232989941485568\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Megan Murray (@Rep. Megan Murray) 1651796036
In 2012, DeLemus revealed that she'd had an abortion during an argument in favor of a bill that would require a woman to wait 24 hours before undergoing an abortion.
She said she had an abortion in the late 1980s, an experience that prompted her to declare that "I have murdered my baby." She said at the time that she might have changed her mind about undergoing the procedure if she had been made to wait 24 hours.
DeLemus is married to Jerry Delemus, who is serving an 87-month prison term for his participation in the 2014 Bundy standoff, an armed confrontation between supporters of extreme anti-government cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and law enforcement that took place after federal agents moved to seize cattle because Bundy had not paid grazing fees.
Jerry DeLemus previously served as co-chairman of then-candidate Donald Trump’s 2016 New Hampshire veterans coalition and is a member of the Oath Keepers, the far-right anti-government militia whose members participated in the attack on the United States Capitol.
