Long Island Village Clerk Says Women's Marchers 'Probably Should Have Been Aborted'

Robert Barra, the clerk for the Village of Valley Stream and a former New York State assemblyman, is coming under fire from local women’s groups after posting on Facebook that pro-choice advocates at last weekend's Women’s March “probably should have been aborted.”

Barra, a Republican, made the comment in response to someone’s Facebook post about the Women’s March, which was likely the largest protest in U.S. history. Millions of women marched in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles and cities around the world. There were even protesters in Antarctica.

“Most of the pro choice people I saw probably should have been aborted,” Barra wrote.

Though his comment received three “likes” on Facebook, it was not taken lightly by many others.

"Bob Barra's comment is incredibly offensive and juvenile,” said Julia Fenster, the co-president of the Nassau County chapter of the National Organization for Women and founder of Social Action Group ATLI. “It's transparent that Barra does not remotely understand what the Women's March was about, and has no insight into what was so dear to millions of people that they took to the streets around the world. He turns a critical issue of women's reproductive rights into a joke and made a mockery of Americans exercising their right to protest. It's really astounding and shameful and frankly insulting to every woman who marched last weekend."

“A person like Mr. Barra, should not be holding public office or paid his salary by women via taxes, particularly if he holds such discriminatory views and oversees the Village Justice Court,” said the woman who brought the issue to light, who desired to remain anonymous.

President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Nassau County, JoAnn Smith, has said that such an outrageous and irresponsible statement does not deserve a comment.

Reached by phone Wednesday, Barra, 57, said he did not see anything wrong with his comments. “It was my private post on my private Facebook,” he told Patch. “So who cares?"

“Some of those people who participated in that march should have probably been aborted,” he continued. “They were absolutely disgusting. As a father of two daughters, I take women’s rights seriously. They weren’t. When you’re dressing like vaginas, that’s not taking it seriously.”

Barra has spent decades in public office. A Lynbrook resident, he served on the village’s Board of Trustees from 1991-97. In 1999, he was appointed to one term on the Hempstead Town Council. He then served in the state assembly from 2000 to 2010, when he stepped down.

He is currently the clerk in Valley Stream, though Barra said that is coming to an end – he is retiring Friday. He earned $134,724 in 2016, according to payroll records on SeeThroughNY.

Photo: Patch