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« Sauerberg to promote border security and no amnesty | Main | Values Voters hear presidential candidates' views on values »

Monday, September 17, 2007

Deconstructing Planned Parenthood/Gemini cover-up II: Lies about financing

deconstruct.jpgThis one is easy but critical.

From the Aurora Beacon, July 29:

Trombley said those threats [of protests] won't affect progress on the $7.5 million project.... He said $5 million already has been raised for the project, with the remainder coming from donations as well.

"The more protesters out in front, the faster we'll probably raise it," he said.

Speaking was Steve Trombley, Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area's CEO.

There's also this in the Chicago Tribune, July 27:
"Frankly, I'm surprised we were able to keep it a secret for so long," said Steve Trombley, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area.... "We didn't want anything to interfere with the opening... and, at this point, I don't anticipate anything will stop that from happening."

The $7.5 million facility at 240 N. Oakhurst Drive... is scheduled to open Sept. 18.... Private donors contributed $5 million toward its construction.
But on May 8, 2007, PP's Teri Huyck, Chief Operating Officer, and Cheryl Harris, Chief Financial Officer, attended an Illinois Finance Authority meeting requesting that it affirm PP as nonprofit so PP could secure a $10 million loan at a 1% reduction to finance the Aurora project, refinance loans on two Chicago PP facilities, and renovate several others.

I have cut and pasted the portion relevant to this discussion below. You can view the entire document here. Click to enlarge:



This document shows Steve Trombley lied when he told both the Beacon and Trib that $5 million had been raised through private donations for the Aurora project. Actually, only $1,550,000 was raised from only two sources.

But that's really a minor point, merely demonstrating Trombley's propensity to lie.

The more critical point is this: Eight weeks ago, Trombley was pretending to the world that 2/3 of the money needed for the Aurora project was in-pocket, "with the remainder coming from donations," according to the Aurora Beacon.

Trombley's story has signficantly changed in the last two weeks. Now he is touting that IFA meeting and a public notice PP/Gemini apparently placed in the Chicago Sun-Times (in a city 40 miles from Aurora - why not the Auroa Beacon or Daily Herald?) as a demonstration PP/Gemini were forthcoming about their relationship. He has stated this numerous times in the press, and from his September 4 letter to Aurora aldermen:
I want to assure you that Planned Parenthood was open and truthful throughout the extensive permitting process and continues to welcome the cooperation of the City of Aurora.
Our corporate and financial documents were explicit about the involvement of Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area....

  • The tax-exempt bond financing for the project through the Illinois Development Finance Authority required a public hearing and further public disclosures of Planned Parenthood's involvement in this project. Planned Parenthood obtained tax-exempt financing, and complied with the additional public disclosures this process required, even though it could have easily financed the project privately with little or no public disclosures.
  • But it is clear Trombley tried to publicly hide the fact PP financed the Aurora project until very recently.

    The financial trail linking Gemini to Planned Parenthood was scant to start, but even so, Trombley tried to throw everyone off that trail, whether intentionally or just because he's a gas bag. Whatever, that's what he acccomplished..

    [HT for IFA document: John Jansen of PLAL]

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