RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A video going viral on TikTok is raising questions about a North Carolina lawmaker’s alleged response to a constituent.
The video claims to show an email from North Carolina state Sen. Danny Britt responding to a woman raising concerns about abortion policy by suggesting she leave the country.
In the video, TikTok user Lindsay Talley says she has a friend who reached out to Britt’s office about North Carolina’s abortion law.
“A friend of mine has a genetic disorder that creates life-threatening anomalies,” she says, adding that her friend wrote to Britt’s office saying that she was not able to expand her family due to ‘Republican policies’. Britt is a Republican who represents Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties.
Talley says in the video that her friend received a response from Britt’s office that read, “Thank you so much for the email. I am not quite certain how we are preventing you from expanding your family. I suggest you move to China immediately and see how that works out for you. If for some reason that fails Russia is nice in the winter and Venezuela in the summer.”
The email is signed “Senator Danny Britt” and appears to come from an email address belonging to his legislative assistant, Camille McDougald.
CBS 17’s Maggie Newland went to the senator’s legislative office Wednesday to ask if anyone could confirm that Britt sent that email. A woman in the office, who another woman referred to as “Camille”, replied, “No comment. Back out of here. You can’t be in here,” and closed the door in the CBS 17 crew’s faces.
Emails to Britt’s office, as well as a voicemail and text to his cell phone went unreturned, as of Wednesday evening.
Talley said she contacted McDougald about the response her friend received and received an email in response that reads, “I responded how Senator Britt wanted me to. No further comment.”
The woman who initially contacted Senator Britt’s office about North Carolina’s abortions law asked for privacy, but sent CBS 17 the following statement:
“We appreciate the support and understand the outrage from Senator Britt’s response. We want to expand our family, but do not feel the laws in North Carolina are inclusive for those who experience rare and uncommon genetic disorders that cause ‘life-altering’ and ‘life-threatening’ abnormalities. These abnormalities that are not compatible with life without extensive medical intervention.
“Many people will think of the common genetic disorders that are tested for early in pregnancy such as T18, Down Syndrome, etc. However, the rare disorders that are uncommon cannot be tested for until 16-weeks and beyond. The doctors are unclear if these types of genetic disorders are considered ‘life-threatening’.
“We are not the only family who is experiencing this type of scenario and want to bring awareness and changes for other families across North Carolina. We respect that some may not agree or fully understand this situation, however we want to emphasize the importance of relying on your doctors, your personal values, and your faith to determine what is best for your family and to do so without government interference.
“We hope that with the collaboration of our governor and local and state representatives, that we can adjust the verbiage of these laws to include genetic abnormalities so families like us can expand their family without fear of retaliation or prevention of medical care. Our intent is to bring awareness and change to better the families of North Carolina.”
