A North Carolina lawmaker went viral on TikTok after his office allegedly told a citizen in an email to “move to China” after she raised concerns about the state’s abortion policy .
The voter, who asked to remain anonymous because of concerns for her safety, told NBC News on Saturday that she emailed Republican Sen. Danny Britt on Nov. 7 to tell him that her family “desperately wants expand.”
“But because of You, [President-elect Donald] Trump, the Republican Party and the strict abortion laws in this country, we cannot do it,” she wrote in the email, a copy of which was shared with NBC News. “Thank you for ruining our future!” You are all terrible people.
In response, Britt’s legislative aide, Camille McDougald, reportedly told the constituent to consider moving to another country.
“Thank you very much for the email. I’m not sure how we’re stopping you from growing your family. I suggest you move to China immediately and see how it works for you,” the email said. “If for some reason it fails, Russia is nice in winter and Venezuela in summer.”
McDougald’s response gained attention after it was shared by TikTok user Lindsay Talley, who last week posted a video explaining that her friend had a genetic condition that “creates life-threatening abnormalities with problems fetal heart disease. The video garnered more than 260,000 views, with many commenters calling the response “unprofessional” and “disgusting.”
“This is incredibly inappropriate,” one person wrote.
“These politicians have lost their ever loving spirit,” commented another.
The voter told NBC News that she carries a very rare genetic disease with a 50% chance of being passed on to a child.
“I was scared when I wrote that email, about my livelihood,” she said.
The woman said McDougald’s response made it seem like “they don’t care.”
Multiple attempts to reach Britt and McDougald were unsuccessful.
Under North Carolina law, abortions are legal in the following circumstances: during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy; when a qualified physician determines that a medical emergency exists; until the 20th week of pregnancy when the pregnancy results from rape or incest; and during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy if a doctor determines that there is a life-threatening abnormality in the fetus. If a life-limiting abnormality is detected, the patient must complete a consent form before requesting an abortion.
The woman argued that the law wasn’t clear enough and because of that, it “forces people to seek treatment out of state.”
Ultimately, the woman said she wishes government officials would “show some compassion and tell me what they’re going to do.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
