AURORA, ILL, October 2, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - At 10am this morning the largest Planned Parenthood abortion facility in the United States opened in Aurora despite the fact that it had deceived the city when applying for its building permits. Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner said that a review into the legality of the procedures claimed there was nothing illegal about the process. However, Eric Scheidler, who has been heading up the pro-life action against the center, has filed an emergency appeal of the decision."The city of Aurora has no legal basis to deny Planned Parenthood an occupancy certificate," Weisner said, admitting however that Planned Parenthood "was less than forthcoming in some ways."
Yesterday morning Kane County State's Attorney John Barsanti issued a statement that Gemini Development Corporation LLC, a wholly own subsidiary of Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area, "committed no criminal action" in the application process with the City of Aurora.
However, the Barsanti statement left entirely unanswered the questions of deception and civil fraud that were originally raised by concerned citizens of Aurora, and the question of what the City of Aurora can and cannot do in response to any deception by Gemini/Planned Parenthood.
Also unanswered is the question raised by citizens last week as to whether the Planned Parenthood building at 3051 E. New York Street can be used for a not-for-profit medical facility without a special use permit. The City has as yet offered no legal reasoning in defense of such a use.
LifeSiteNews.com spoke with lawyer Peter Breen who filed the emergency appeal with the city zoning board on behalf of Scheidler. Breen told LifeSiteNews.com that the appeal, according to state law should make for an immediate halt on occupancy and activity in the massive abortion complex.
The appeal asks the city to stay true to Illinois state law and its own statutes regarding building permits. It "asks them to revoke all permits and deny permits filed in this case," explained Breen.
While the city is claiming they have 30 days to respond to the appeal, the provisions of the state law provide for an immediate stay of occupancy and activity on the site while the appeal is being deliberated.
Local residents are wondering at the city's bending over backward to accommodate the behemoth abortion giant while they are held in check for infringements of building permits.
Whether it can stay open according to the city or not, pro-life activists have vowed to be a constant presence at the abortion center to offer women and their babies a choice for life.
See the full text of the emergency appeal:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007_docs/Auroraappeal.pdf
Cartoon courtesy of John Francis Borra cumulus@eaglecom.net (all rights reserved)