Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) has cited comedian Joan Rivers’ death to support a restrictive Texas abortion law he signed, that could close the majority of the abortion clinics in the state.

A federal judge blocked a key provision of the statute in August. The provision required abortion clinics to meet hospital-level operating standards, a popular method of anti-choice politicians to restrict women’s access to abortion services. If enacted, the requirement would leave only seven abortion clinics operating in Texas. In his remarks, Gov. Perry suggested that Rivers might still be alive, if she had sought help at a clinic with such regulations in place.

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

One of the many problematic items in Perry’s statement is that the clinic Rivers was treated at actually is an ambulatory services center, New York magazine reports, and thus would have been in compliance with the controversial provision in the Texas statute.

“The reality is that complications happen in all areas of medicine,” Heather Busby, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, told the Associated Press. “There’s risk inherent in just about anything. You could have a heart attack and die while having your wisdom teeth removed. Should we outlaw wisdom teeth removal?”