Thomas More Society uncovers more illegal activity at Aurora Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic
Thomas More Society will present oral arguments in the Illinois Appellate Court, Second District, challenging Planned Parenthood’s disregard for and manipulation of zoning laws in its construction of a facility in Aurora, Illinois. Thomas More Society filed a lawsuit in 2008 on behalf of neighbors of the Aurora Planned Parenthood facility, as well as an unincorporated association of Fox Valley Families, alleging that the nation’s largest abortion provider misled and lied to Aurora zoning and building officials to get permission to build its mega-abortion clinic. The Society now appeals the district court’s dismissal of their lawsuit.
“Planned Parenthood’s abortion facility in Aurora was the product of deception and continues to operate illegally,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel, “Such blatant disregard for and manipulation of Illinois law casts a dark shadow on Planned Parenthood’s activities, and we look forward to presenting our case to the appellate court.”
In 2006, Planned Parenthood, under the guise of “Gemini Office Development, LLC,” built a non-profit business at a site explicitly reserved for for-profit corporations. To circumvent Aurora’s zoning laws, Planned Parenthood claimed to be paying property taxes in order to fulfill the “for-profit” zoning requirement. However, at the same time, Planned Parenthood also received $8 million in financing at Illinois taxpayer expense for its “non-profit activities.”
Recently, Thomas More Society revealed newly-released Freedom of Information Act responses from the DuPage County Supervisor of Assessments, showing that, just after proceedings completed in the trial court, Planned Parenthood sought to have its property taxes reversed, on the basis that it had been operating the property for charitable purposes from its inception.
The Society’s motion bringing the materials to the attention of the appellate court states: “Scarcely was the ink dry on the Circuit Court’s August 29, 2013 summary judgment approving Planned Parenthood’s zoning [as a for-profit medical clinic] … when Planned Parenthood hastened to the DuPage County Board and the Illinois Department of Revenue to insist that its use was, and always had been exclusively charitable, and that it was entitled to a full property tax exemption.”
Peter Breen will present oral arguments on behalf of Thomas More Society and its clients against Planned Parenthood on Monday, April 27th.
