JUNEAU, Alaska — The Alaska House of Representatives voted Wednesday to reprimand Republican state Rep. David Eastman of Wasilla after he asked during a committee hearing whether there could be economic benefits from the deaths of abused children.
The censure vote was 35-1 with Eastman as the sole no vote. It was unclear Wednesday afternoon whether further action would be taken against him.
Eastman asked a series of questions during a Monday House Judiciary Committee hearing on the impacts of child abuse. The Wasilla Republican asked a series of questions to the Alaska Children’s Trust whether there could be economic benefits to a society with the death of an abused child.
Anchorage Democratic Rep. Andrew Gray, who said he adopted a child from the foster care system with adverse childhood experiences, introduced the censure motion. He said that the language used by Eastman was “atrocious” and “indefensible” and that the state House must act.
Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance, chair of the committee, initially objected to the censure vote. She said that the questions were “messy” and “insensitive,” but that she should have been more sensitive to other committee members.
Eastman said on the House floor that it was “outrageous” to suggest that he supported the deaths of children. Eastman, who is vehemently against abortion, later suggested the questions were related to his anti-abortion positions.
Eastman has long attracted controversy in the state Capitol. He was censured before in 2017 after claiming that women in rural villages try to get pregnant so they can get a free trip to the city for an abortion.
