Chicago—Today, Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler responded to DuPage County Judge Paul Fullerton’s dismissal of a zoning lawsuit against the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Aurora, Illinois.
The lawsuit by local residents and Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood has charged that the City of Aurora’s decision to allow the abortion clinic to operate in its chosen location violates the city’s own zoning restrictions.
Judge Fullerton dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that the decision to allow Planned Parenthood to operate at their Aurora location was “legislative”—the act of an elected body—and therefore demanded great deference by the court. However, that decision was not made by the Aurora City Council but solely by the Aurora zoning administrator, appointed by Mayor Tom Weisner.
“It’s incomprehensible how a decision by an appointed city official to exempt Planned Parenthood from Aurora’s zoning laws can somehow be considered ‘legislative’ by this judge,” remarked Scheidler. “The reality is that the special treatment Planned Parenthood received has never yet been explained to any court or elected body — let alone to the people of Aurora. That’s why this ruling must be appealed.”
The Pro-Life Action League has been actively opposing the abortion facility since Planned Parenthood’s intention to operate on the site was first exposed prior to the clinic’s October 2007 opening. Through the initial zoning process that began in January 2006, Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the project was obscured behind several levels of wholly owned subsidiaries, to the point that no one in Aurora knew that plans for an abortion clinic were in the works.
“The judge may be right that this case would never have been brought if the building in question were a department store or restaurant,” Scheidler allowed. “But it’s unlikely that such a business would have lied to city officials to hide their identity. And in any case, how does that justify Planned Parenthood breaking the law?”
Eric Scheidler is available for interviews. Contact Tom Ciesielka at 312-422-1333 or tc@tcpr.net
