Mississippi Senate Candidate Struggles with Child Surgery Position
Undercover footage acquired by Breitbart News reveals Scott Colom, a Democratic Senate candidate from Mississippi, having difficulty articulating a clear stance on child mutilation surgeries. He admits that he can’t recall specifics of a letter he endorsed, expresses that he doesn’t think such surgeries should be legal, yet also states that he wouldn’t advocate for prosecuting doctors who carry out these procedures.
The brief video, running for two and a half minutes, captures Colom growing increasingly uneasy with the subject matter.
Colom, who serves as a local prosecutor, mentioned that he struggled to recall details from a letter he signed in 2021 that denounced efforts to criminalize “gender-affirming care for transgender people.” This letter originated from the progressive organization Fair and Just Prosecution.
The organization’s letter describes laws that prohibit gender mutilation as “blatantly unconstitutional attacks on some of the most vulnerable Americans [which] will deeply harm public safety.”
The letter is titled “JOINT STATEMENT FROM ELECTED PROSECUTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS CONDEMNING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE AND GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTHCARE.”
The signatories assert:
“[W]e pledge to use our settled discretion and limited resources on enforcement of laws that will not erode the safety and well-being of our community. And we do not support the use of scarce criminal justice and law enforcement resources on criminalization of doctors who offer medically necessary, safe gender-affirming care to trans youth, parents who safeguard their child’s health and wellbeing by seeking out such treatments, or any individuals who use facilities aligned with their gender identity.”
Colom is among over 75 individuals who signed the letter, which includes figures such as Shannon Taylor, the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, Chesa Boudin, a former San Francisco prosecutor recalled from office due to lenient crime policies, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
In a conversation with the undercover journalist, Colom stated, “So, I’m not for gender-affirming surgery for children… a ban is not a criminal thing.”
When pressed further, he mentioned that while the procedures shouldn’t be legal, he wouldn’t pursue criminal charges against doctors involved. Colom’s agitation increased when questioned about the life-saving aspect of transgender surgeries.
“I didn’t write the letter… I don’t remember all parts of it because it was a long time ago,” Colom remarked.
This letter was made public in June 2021.
He then exclaimed, “Listen, I have never been for gender-affirming surgery for children. I’m personally pro-life… I don’t think it should be legal, but I don’t think it should be criminal. I don’t think you should prosecute a doctor in court and send them to jail for — ” The reporter interrupts this time, saying “mutilating children?” Colom concluded, “– for healthcare procedures that the parent and child agree to.”
As the discussion intensified, Colom stated, “What I’m saying is this: It’s fine that it’s civilly, you can’t do it. Doctors cannot do it. I don’t think this is a criminal situation. Maybe you want to prosecute a doctor for that surgery, that’s great. Run for DA, you can run on that, and good luck with that policy! I stand behind my position that it’s not a criminal issue because we can’t criminalize social issues!”
Colom is competing against Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in the upcoming November election. At one point during President Biden’s administration, she blocked his nomination for a federal judgeship, citing concerns about substantial donations from organizations linked to George Soros that had allegedly supported Colom’s campaigns starting in 2015.
