The family of Joan Rivers invoked Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s very being while defending a woman’s right to unfettered access to legal, safe abortions.

Melissa Rivers, daughter of the recently deceased legendary comedienne, said the four-term Republican governor’s continued subsistence proves there should not be state laws aimed at severely restricting access to abortion clinics, such as the one Perry tried to defend this past weekend by invoking Rivers’ death.

In trying to bolster the case for a Texas law he signed that would close most of the abortion facilities in the nation’s second-most populous state, Perry theorized whether laws like the one he signed might have prevented Rivers’ death.

“It was interesting that Joan Rivers and the procedure that she had done, where she died, that was a clinic,” the former presidential candidate said. “It’s a curious thought, that if they had that type of regulations in place whether or not that individual would be still alive.”

“Some babies grow up to be horrible people. And far too often, those horrible people are elected governor of Texas.”

In response, Melissa Rivers argued that the mere fact Perry is alive and has been the governor of the second-most populous state since 2000 is the living embodiment of why laws like the one he signed are a bad idea.

“I know people like to think that every life is worth saving,” the surviving Rivers said. “But when I see someone like Rick Perry, I just know the world would be much better without him.”

Rivers continued, “I know, babies are cute and everything, but some babies grow up to be horrible people. And far too often, those horrible people are elected governor of Texas.”

When asked to comment on Rivers’ remarks, Perry replied, “Ooh! I love her on Fashion Police!”