Planned Parenthood Uses Scare Tactics to Expand Aurora, Illinois Abortion Biz
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 15, 2009
Aurora, IL (LifeNews.com) — A new development in Aurora, Illinois is reopening the controversy surrounding a new, massively-sized abortion center Planned Parenthood recently constructed. Local pro-life advocates say the abortion business has used scare tactics against pro-life advocates to get city officials to authorize the expansion.
Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, tells LifeNews.com that his group has learned that Planned Parenthood is seeking approval from the City of Aurora to boost their parking by 27 spaces, an increase of nearly 40 percent.
On October 15, the Planning and Development Committee will vote on Planned Parenthood’s request for additional parking.
Scheidler says he and pro-life advocates plan to be there and urge the committee to deny Planned Parenthood’s request.
"Why would Planned Parenthood need additional parking? We’ve got people out there all the time, so we know they haven’t been overflowing their existing parking lot," he said.
The reason appears to be because the abortion business is tired of pro-life advocates helping women heading to the center find abortion alternatives.
According to documents obtained by Scheidler through Freedom of Information Act requests, Planned Parenthood cites "security" as the reason for seeking more parking spaces.
In the "Explanation of Project Needs" submitted by Tim Dutton of McAdam Landscape Inc., the company managing the project for Planned Parenthood, "Our staff and patients are being constantly harassed by the protestors."
Scheidler says Dutton even goes so far as to say it’s "only a matter of time" before Aurora sees an act of violence like the killing of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller.
"Sadly, the City of Aurora has accepted this explanation and scare tactics at face value. At no point has any city staff member, appointee or elected official ever questioned Planned Parenthood’s allegations," Scheidler told LifeNews.com today.
"But the truth is that the pro-life presence at Planned Parenthood’s Aurora facility has been a model peacefulness and cooperation with law enforcement," he added.
Scheidler believes the real reason Planned Parenthood wants more parking is a shortage of 26 spaces alleged in a zoning case against the organization going before a state judge later this month.
He also pointed out that research by Pro-Life Action League attorneys has found that Planned Parenthood’s existing parking violates Aurora’s zoning ordinance.
Scheidler says that, while the zoning ordinance requires 10-foot-wide parking spaces, Planned Parenthood’s spaces are only 9 feet wide. And while the zoning ordinance requires a 35 foot setback for parking spaces, Planned Parenthood has only 30.
"Once again, Planned Parenthood is trying to demonize their pro-life opponents to avoid scrutiny of their nefarious business dealings," Scheidler said. "They came into Aurora under a cloud of deception, and now they’re trying to paper over their misdeeds by pretending that they’re threatened by our peaceful presence there."
"The City of Aurora should deny Planned Parenthood any further opportunity to expand in this community where they are already unwelcome," Scheidler concluded.
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