Mayor Weisner: Enforce Our Laws!

At the September 11 City Council meeting, the citizens of Aurora were assured that Planned Parenthood’s temporary occupancy permit would expire on September 17, and no permanent occupancy permit would be issued until the City’s independent investigation had concluded.

Yet today, the Aurora Beacon reports that the City has chosen to “maintain the status quo” and allow PP to occupy the building.

The “status quo” was that PP had a temporary occupancy permit. That status quo ended when the permit expired. What the City has effectively done is to extend PP’s temporary occupancy permit, in direct contradiction to Mayor Weisner and Alderman Irvin’s assurances to us that the permit would expire if the investigation had not concluded. Planned Parenthood staff continue to go in and out of the building. Last night, they held a “meet and greet” event (some photos shown above), and today a vendor dropped off linens. I personally observed several employees going in and out of the back door of the building. For all intents and purposes, Planned Parenthood’s temporary occupancy permit has been extended. We need to insist that the City abide by the promises made to us citizens on September 11—especially since today we were once again told that we can’t have signs or memorial crosses out at the Vigil site. We’ve had a constant battle going on about signage, despite an August 40 agreement between our attorneys and the city’s on this matter. Here’s the agreement:

—————————- Original Message —————————- Subject: Requested e-mail From: “Lance C. Malina” Date: Thu, August 30, 2007 6:21 pm To: captain1970@thelifeline.net ————————————————————————– Dear Jason, This message is to confirm that, as we discussed, your clients, under the agreement reached as a resolution of the TRO last Friday, 8/24/07, may bring protest signs in addition to the white crosses to their rallies. They may carry those signs, they may lay them down in the parkway when they are tired, or lean them against parkway trees. In addition, the agreement that avoided the TRO hearing also allows your clients to protest without acquiring an assembly permit under the City Code. We also discussed other issues which I will discuss with the City and you will discuss with your clients in an attempt to either reach permanent or temporary resolution of them, or bring them before the judge in a manner that does not waste judicial or legal resources. Lance

The City is giving Planned Parenthood a free pass to illegally occupy a building, while going out of its way to construe signage and parade ordinances such as to limit our First Amendment Rights. They even went so far as to go into federal court to block our “Jericho March” prayer walk, calling it a “residential picket.” This is a double standard, and an act of bad faith with the citizens of Aurora and Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood. Take Action! Call Mayor Thomas Weisner and Corporation Counsel Alayne Weingartz and tell them to enforce the law against Planned Parenthood and not let them occupy their building without a permit. And tell them to quit trampling pro-lifer’s First Amendment rights!

• Mayor Weisner’s Tel: 630-844-3612
• Mayor Weisner’s E-mail: mayorsoffice@aurora-il.org
• Mayor Weisner’s Fax: 630-892-8967

• Attorney Weingartz’s Tel: 630-844-4777
• Attorney Weingartz’s Fax: 630-844-4737
• Attorney Weingartz’s E-mail: aweingartz@aurora-il.org

While you’re at it, you might as well sign up for the City Council meeting next Tuesday. It’s looking like we’ll have to show up yet again to make it clear that we expect the City to stand up against the deception and lawlessness of Planned Parenthood. Call City Clerk Cheryl Vonhoff at 630-844-3615 to sign up to speak.