Alaska Republican state Rep. David Eastman argued this week that there could be economic benefits from the death of abused children.
Eastman made the comment during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday about traumatic childhood experiences and how they can negatively affect a person throughout their lives, according to Anchorage Daily News.
“In the case where child abuse is fatal, obviously it’s not good for the child, but it’s actually a benefit to society because there aren’t needs for government services and whatnot over the whole course of that child’s life,” Eastman said.
Eastman’s comments stunned Trevor Storrs, president and CEO of the Alaska Children’s Trust.
“Can you say that again? Did you say, ‘a benefit for society?’” Storrs asked.
“I’m talking dollars.” Eastman said. “It gets 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.”
Eastman has long been a controversial figure in the Alaska state Capitol. In 2017, he was censured for saying women in rural Alaska get pregnant so they can get a free trip to the city for an abortion, Anchorage Daily News reports.
He is also a member of the far right militia group the Oath Keepers and was present at the rally that preceded the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. Eastman said he never entered the Capitol building and did not break any laws, according to Politico.
