Central Valley Assemblywoman Blames Drought On God's Wrath Over Abortion
BAKERSFIELD (CBS SF) -- An Central Valley lawmaker is trying to distance herself from her statement blaming California's historic drought on God's wrath over abortion.
Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) touched off a firestorm of criticism when she made the remark while speaking before an anti-abortion group.
According to RH Reality Check, Grove told the attendees at the California Pro-Life Council's Legislative Banquet on June 1st that Texas had a long drought until Governor Rick Perry signed a 'fetal pain bill,' banning late term abortions.
Grove told the audience it rained that night and "now God has His hold on California."
She made the statement last week. Now she is trying to back off her statement.
The Assemblywoman issued a written statement saying she, along with most Americans, believes "God's hand is in the affairs of man."
She wrote, "Is this drought caused by God?" Grove wrote. "Nobody knows. "But biblical history shows a consequence to man's actions; we do know for sure that California's water shortage crisis has been compounded by liberal politicians' poor decisions — not properly managing our water resources and refusing to build water storage for decades."
Grove serves Kern County, an area hit hard by the drought. Bakersfield residents there have been under an emergency city ordinance since April limiting landscape watering to three times a week.