South Cook News

The mayor of Flossmoor told South Cook News that he and other village officials discovered only a few weeks ago that the health care center that opened Jan. 16 at 1985 Governors Highway was going to be a Planned Parenthood clinic, one where abortions will be performed.

“The application for the permit was under Health Care Partners Group LLC,’” Mayor Paul Braun said. “We all thought it was a group of doctors from the University of Chicago.”

Braun said the group met all zoning ordinances and required no variances so there was no need for any further contact with village officials.

Flossmoor Mayor Paul Braun

“It was only when they applied for an occupancy permit a few weeks back that we found out who they really were,” Braun said.

He added that he and other village officials were disappointed when they weren’t invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 11.

“We thought it was very disrespectful,” he said.

The secrecy surrounding Planned Parenthood’s opening of the clinic typifies its approach when choosing to change locations or expand its operations. 

In October, the abortion provider quietly opened a clinic in a new location in downtown Milwaukee. A story of the opening published Jan. 12 in Milwaukee Magazine quoted Dan Miller, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin, as saying that he didn’t know Planned Parenthood was planning to put a clinic on Water Street until the doors opened.

“This was probably the best-kept secret I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Miller added that the new location put the front door of the clinic facing the parking lot and away from the sidewalk.

Parenthood e­ffectively “made an $8 million move to get away from our sidewalk counselors,” Miller said.

The article went on to say that in 2016, a Dallas-based entity called Bocatoli LLC bought the land on Water Street. The purchase did prompt news stories of an incoming “medical office building,” but the new occupant was never identified as Planned Parenthood.

The Flossmoor clinic is reportedly one of five Planned Parenthood planning to open in Illinois following Gov. Bruce Rauner's September signing of HB 40, which expanded taxpayer-funded abortions through Medicaid and state employee insurance. When finished with its expansion, Planned Parenthood will have 21 clinics operating in Illinois.

“Pure and simple, they are cashing in on HB 40,” said Emily Troscinski, executive director of Illinois Right to Life.

Troscinski added that calling the clinic a “women’s health center” is a farce.

“A quick check shows that four women’s health care facilities are within 10 minutes of the new (Planned Parenthood) location, and they offer even more health care services for women,” she said. “But none perform abortions.”

She and other anti-abortion leaders say that the clinic will also cash in on immigrants living in the Midwest illegally and on out-of-state clients; the Indiana border is just 15 minutes from Flossmoor.