Pastors say Georgia Senate candidate Warnock's abortion views are 'scandal' to the black community

The Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat trying to win a Senate seat in an upcoming Georgia runoff race, is facing criticism from fellow black pastors for his support of abortion rights.

More than 25 such pastors recently sent an open letter to Warnock asking him to reconsider his support for such rights, arguing that abortion perpetuates systemic racism because it kills black babies at a disproportionate rate.

Warnock does not support  restrictions on abortions and has openly expressed the belief that abortion is an exercise of "human agency and freedom," consistent with his views as as a Christian minister.

"Killing Black lives, especially killing unborn Black lives, does nothing but brutalize and scar vulnerable Black communities who are already suffering so much," reads the letter, which also argues that abortion kills 474 black babies for every 1,000 live births. "Your open advocacy of abortion is a scandal to the faith and to the Black community."

The National Director of Priests for Life, Father Frank Pavone, argued Wednesday on "Just the News AM" that Warnock's stance is an insult to the black community and that's what the letters signatories are pointing out. 

"The abortion industry was founded on racism and they [blacks] get a disproportionate number of the abortions, not because they themselves don't value life, but because the abortion industry targets them," he told host Carrie Sheffield. "The American people have become more aware of the fact that the Democrats put no restrictions on abortion, and they want you and me to pay for it."