"In the Blood-Soaked Land of California"- Church Militant Interviews Pro-Life Attorney Susan Swift

California is pushing as many as 20 pro-abort bills to ensure women can keep killing their developing babies, despite the end of Roe v. Wade. In tonight's In-Depth Report, Church Militant's Kim Tisor has more on one such bill, its Catholic connection and the group fighting it.Show more

VP Kamala Harris: "I fought with her in many battles that have been about making sure that working people are protected and fighting for progressive values. And Buffy is a fighter."

Progressive Buffy Wicks introduced Assembly Bill 2223 in February. The bill shields women who abort their babies, and those who assist them, from criminal liability. It also conveys legal protection for women whose babies suffer perinatal death due to causes that occurred while the babies were in utero. But what does that mean?

Susan Swift, VP of Legal Affairs, Right to Life League: "The word perinatal is not pre-natal — that's before birth. Perinatal means after birth. So perinatal death is the death of a baby born alive. It's born, and then it dies — but due to causes that occur in utero."

Church Militant spoke with Swift, who is fighting the radical abortion bill. She parsed out this confusing verbiage.

Susan Swift:

Well, that can be a botched abortion. Anything can happen in utero. I mean conception happens in utero, genetics happen in utero, so maybe a Downs baby, right? And it's delivered and [suffers a fatal effect] maybe even in the course of delivery, because sometimes delivery can be complicated and very dangerous, and the baby can suffer consequences, so this term is not defined.

As Church Militant previously reported, the legislation doesn't give a clear definition of perinatal death due to causes in utero.

Susan Swift: "But we can credit one organization in particular for the term 'due to causes that occur in utero.' And that's the California Catholic Conference of Bishops."

California Assembly member Buffy Wicks confirmed Swift's claim during a recent state Senate hearing.

Sen. Buffy Wicks, D-Calif.: "I think I just explained my intent — in utero, if something happens in utero. And we actually worked pretty closely with the Catholic Conference on this, and worked closely with them and they came off opposition because of [sic] we clarified the intent of exactly what you're asking right now."

Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Calif.: "I appreciate that. I think the Catholic Conference is wrong."

So, according to Wicks and Swift, the California Catholic Conference negotiated the "in utero" language and is now taking a soft stance on Buffy's bill. Faithful Catholics opposed to the legislation must enter the fight.

Susan Swift: "You fight evil one step at a time; that's what you do."

Now the controversial bill heads to a state Senate committee, with a hearing set for early August.

You can find out how to take action against AB2223 and other pro-abort legislation by visiting www.righttolifeleague.org.