North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoed a bill Thursday that would have protected infants who survive abortion from infanticide.

The Democrat governor vetoed Senate Bill 359, “An Act Establishing the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.”

“Laws already protect newborn babies and this bill is an unnecessary interference between doctors and their patients,” the governor said in his veto message. “This needless legislation would criminalize doctors and other healthcare providers for a practice that simply does not exist.”

North Carolina legislature passed the Born-Alive Bill on Tuesday and today @NC_Governor VETOED the bill. Gov. Cooper said NO to giving medical care to babies born alive during an abortion. Shame on you governor. Read the full press release below ⬇️https://t.co/30k7PEDYfX — Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) April 18, 2019

Cooper’s statement that the bill is “unnecessary” because infanticide “simply does not exist” is consistent with Planned Parenthood’s talking points about born-alive bills.

In March, Planned Parenthood President Dr. Leana Wen also wrote in a letter to the Wall Street Journal editorial board that there is “no such thing as infanticide in medical care.”

However, as the nation discovered during the trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell — convicted of murdering babies born alive after abortion by snipping their spines with scissors — government and health departments often look the other way when it comes to inspecting abortion clinics.

Gosnell had been operating for decades in his West Philadelphia “house of horrors” abortion clinic without inspection. His murderous practices were only discovered haphazardly during a prescription drug bust in 2010.

To this day, even after the Gosnell murder conviction, Planned Parenthood — America’s largest provider of abortions — continues to vehemently oppose legislation that attempts to ensure abortion clinics are required to hold to the same health and safety standards as other outpatient clinics.

As the Washington Free Beacon observed, the response from abortion rights activists and Cooper that infanticide “simply does not exist” also contradicts the comments of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who was asked during a radio interview about the abortion bill up for consideration in his state, with his support, that would have allowed the procedure at any point up until birth.

“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen,” Northam said. “The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”

“Caring for a living, breathing, newborn infant is too restrictive for Governor Cooper’s radical abortion agenda,” said North Carolina Republican House Speaker Tim Moore in a statement. “We thought Democrats would agree that children born alive should be separate from the abortion debate, but it’s clear that they want the ‘right to choose’ to even extend past birth. This is a sad day for North Carolina.”

According to the North Carolina bill’s summary, the measure would “require a healthcare practitioner to care for a child born alive despite an abortion.”

Abortionists who do not provide care for a baby who survives abortion could also be charged with a Class D felony with a fine of up to $250,000.

In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump condemned the Democrat Party for its support of late-term abortion and even infanticide.

Tami Fitzgerald, North Carolina Values Coalition executive director, responded to Cooper’s veto with the following statement:

During Easter holy week when Christians around the world pause to remember the birth, sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper instead vetoed the life of innocent babies, created in the image of God, and chose to support infanticide standing side-by-side with New York Governor Cuomo and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL. Roy Cooper didn’t just veto a bill, he vetoed babies—babies who are innocently born alive as the result of a botched abortion. Our coalition of pro-life advocates will gather our supporters in Raleigh and encourage the General Assembly to override this murderous action.

Living in a state where the Governor @RoyCooperNC vetoes protections for babies born alive as the result of a botched abortion makes me want to make sure he is sent home to pasture in 2020! How about you NC?#onetermgov — Tami Fitzgerald (@tamifitzgerald) April 18, 2019

Twin abortion survivor Claire Culwell tweeted her response to Cooper’s veto:

My response to @NC_Governor who vetoed the Born Alive Act this morning. Abortion survivors do exist and we shouldn’t have to fight for our lives after we survive an abortion. #bornaliveact #abortionsurvivor #northcarolinalegislature #governorcooper pic.twitter.com/vrW4Lyq9s4 — Claire Culwell (@claireculwell) April 18, 2019

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), said Cooper is “radically out of step with North Carolinians and his record will be a liability with voters in 2020.”

“North Carolina citizens are appalled by the extreme agenda on display in New York, Virginia, and several other states, as well as by Democratic Party leaders in Congress who have repeatedly blocked compassionate, popular legislation to protect vulnerable babies who survive abortions,” she added. “It is no wonder state lawmakers, took decisive action of their own.”

Recent polling by the SBA List found that 77 percent of voters support (55 percent strongly support) legislation to ensure a baby who survives abortion is given the same medical treatment as any other baby born prematurely.