Judge Gives Planned Parenthood Green Light to Open Abortion Facility; Citizens for a Pro-Life Society Vows Continued Opposition

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012 Oakland County Judge James Alexander, in a controversial decision, ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan’s interpretation of a deed restriction held by the Comfort Inn Suites essentially giving the abortion provider the green light to open an clinic in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The court’s ruling comes after a 14 month-long battle that pitted the abortion provider against Citizens for a Pro-life Society and other pro-life groups who worked to keep the Planned Parenthood building at 1625 N. Opdyke Road abortion free. In December 2010 Planned Parenthood purchased the Opdyke Road property that sits directly in front of a Comfort Inn Suites hotel. The hotel owners, in an attempt to prevent the clinic from opening in their front yard, threatened to enforce its 12 year-old deed restriction that limits the use of the Opdyke property to retail store, restaurant or office.

Planned Parenthood sued the hotel owners over the interpretation of the deed restriction language. Citizens for a Pro-Life Society spear-headed opposition to the opening of the clinic and for over a year the Planned Parenthood property has stood empty and silent while parties on both sides of this dispute battled the case in court—a case abortion opponents have been watching closely.

Monica Migliorino Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society states: "We are filled with great sorrow and disappointment today. Judge Alexander’s ruling will lead to the killing of innocent human life when Planned Parenthood opens the doors of this clinic. We worked hard to stop the spread of abortion's injustice and hoped to spare Auburn Hills this place of death, lies and sorrow. We are sorry that the hotels in the direct vicinity of the Planned Parenthood building may have to share their business environment with the sordid practice of abortion. I know that the Comfort Inn hotel will appeal this case. And we remain undaunted. We will continue to fight the opening of this death center—and be a voice for those innocent unborn who cannot speak for themselves."

A Short History of this Case

April 27, 2009: Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan CEO Lori Lamerand announces in Detroit News that PPMSM plans to open an abortion facility in Oakland County.

November 2010: Citizens for a Pro-life Society discovers that PPMSM purchased building at 1625 N. Opdyke Road in Auburn Hills, MI.

December 2010: CPLS launches protest against the establishment of the PPMSM abortion clinic in Auburn Hills beginning with 200 Oakland County residents jamming Auburn Hills City Council meeting Dec. 7, 2010.

With help from Dave Theisen of Real Estate for Life, CPLS talks to all business owners in close proximity to the PPMSM Opdyke Road property and discovers that the Comfort Inn Suites holds a deed restriction on the building purchased by Planned Parenthood.

CPLS learns that PPMSM attorneys at Dykema Gossett sent a letter to the Comfort Inn Suites hotel owners notifying them that they represent a possible purchaser who may want to open a “medical office.” Dykema Gossett did not disclose that their client was Planned Parenthood and that it intended to open a surgical treatment center—i.e. an abortion clinic.

PPMSM are notified that the Comfort Inn Suites will enforce their deed restriction.

PPMSM files lawsuit against the Comfort Inn Suites.

In the meantime numerous rallies, demonstrations and prayer vigils organized by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society joined by Central Oakland Right to Life, Michigan LifeSpan, and several local-area churches take place at the Opdyke Road property. The most recent CPLS demonstration took place Saturday, January 7, 2012.

PPMSM case is assigned to Oakland County Judge James Alexander. The first hearing takes place Sept. 7, 2011 and judge rules for a 60 day extension for discovery.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 court decision to decide future of the Planned Parenthood clinic. Whatever decision is made by Judge Alexander, it is expected that his ruling will be appealed.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 Oakland County Judge James Alexander rules against the Comfort Inn hotel’s deed restriction, thus permitting Planned Parenthood to open an Auburn Hills, MI. abortion center.

Links to more coverage of Judge Alexander's decision:

God Be Praised
Planned Parenthood Mega Mill
Still Not Open in Auburn Hills

SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR 2012?

AND A CPLS END OF THE YEAR SUMMARY!
WE WERE BUSY!

Citizens for a Pro-Life Society has been on the front lines all year. We helped shut down the Womans Choice clinics and thus far we have been instrumental in keeping Planned Parenthood from opening it mega-death center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. But, as you can see from the report below—this is an on-going battle and CPLS is desperately in need of financial help—truly, it is hard for me to beg for money—but to continue our work we really need your support. Please—in this Season of the Christ Child, will you consider an end-of-the-year tax-deductible contribution to CPLS? Planned Parenthood can go to the government and get millions—but we depend on the sacrificial gifts from people like you! You can donate by simply clicking on the donate bottom at the end of this memo—or—send a contribution to:

PP Death Mill in Auburn Hills
is Still Not Open!

CPLS has helped keep PP from realizing its goals for a full year.

The building at 1625 N. Opdyke Road in Auburn Hills, MI, that PP wants to turn into an abortion clinic, still remains gutted. Indeed, on Dec. 7, 2011 it will be one year to the day when CPLS organized 200 residents of Oakland County and jammed the Auburn Hills City Council chambers demanding action to keep PP from ever opening this place of death. The Comfort Inn Suites—located directly behind the PP Opdyke Road building, enforced its deed restriction against PP. PP took the hotel owners to court and this case is still in the works! The next hearing IS NOT until January of 2012 and the trial date is not set until May 2012. PLEASE PRAY THAT JUDGE JAMES ALEXANDER WILL RULE AGAINST PP AND IN FAVOR OF THE COMFORT INN SUITES!

In 2011 CPLS conducted numerous pickets in front of the Opdyke Road property, organized weekly prayer teams at the building, picketed two major Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan fundraisers, not to mention the PP national Pink Bus Tour on the campus of U of M, and co-sponsored the petition drive which gathered 11,000 signatures against the opening of the clinic. We also organized a candlelight vigil in front of the building with guest speakers Attorney Rebecca Kiessling and Joeseph Scheidler of the Pro-life Action League. CPLS also organized a months-long outreach to the African American churches in Pontiac and held a prayer service in Pontiac to pray that this PP clinic will never open which took place at St. Damien of Molokai Parish. BUT THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER AND OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP THIS MEGA-MILL FROM OPENING WILL CARRY OVER INTO 2012! CPLS would like to especially thank Central Oakland Right to Life for its constant involvement and support, as well as the Langlois Family, Barb Yagley, Rebecca Kiessling, Dave Theisen, Becky Reynolds, the River Church, Auburn Hills Christian Center and St. Damien of Molokai Parish and reporter Karen Dudek.

In addition to our, thus far, successful effort to keep the PP mill from opening, CPLS was very busy doing down-in-the trenches pro-life work. Here’s a short recap of just SOME of our 2011 projects:

*CPLS Launched a New Website-- imagesofabortion.com This website, loaded with over 350 of the most spectacular images and video of abortion victims, is a one-of-a-kind invaluable tool to aid the entire pro-life movement in exposing the truth about abortion .

*CPLS organized the historic National Evening of Tribute to Joseph Scheidler. This event, attended by over 400 people and featuring 30 major pro-life leaders from all over the country, gathered in Chicago, April 2, 2011 to honor the father of pro-life activism. See a great video of the protesters gathered outside  of the hotel:

*CPLS and 17 of its members were finally vindicated in May 2011 when criminal charges against the Notre Dame 88 were dismissed. Your CPLS director and 16 others were arrested May 17, 2009 for our protest of the Obama commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame. Before many defendants (including your CPLS director) would sign the settlement agreement, CPLS was instrumental in getting ND to alter the agreement’s language to reflect the truth about our purpose in protesting the scandal caused by ND to the Church and to society.

*CPLS was instrumental in helping the Attorney General of Michigan to dissolve the Woman’s Choice abortion clinics located in Lansing and Saginaw. The clinics have remained closed since Nov.7, 2011. Their current shut-down is the climax of a 21 month-long effort by CPLS, Chris Veneklase, State Senator Rick Jones and Ed Rivet of Michigan RTL as we brought evidence to state authorities retrieved from the abortion clinics’ trash dumpsters—including the remains of 17 aborted babies found Feb. 26, 2011in the dumpster of the Lansing clinic.

2011 WAS AN INCREDIBLE YEAR FOR CPLS—IF FOR NO OTHER REASON YOUR CPLS DIRECTOR LANDED A PUBLISHER FOR ABANDONED—THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE ABORTION WARS-- Called the “Uncle Tom’s Cabin of the abortion issue”—the book will be out in April 2012!

Let us go into 2012—an election year—with constant prayers and firmer resolve to end this slaughter of the unborn and build the Culture of Life. Work and Pray to End Abortion

Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic Case Preliminary Hearing Results

By Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D
Director, Citizens for a Pro-life Society

CPLS was in court yesterday for the preliminary hearing regarding the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic case in Auburn Hills, Michigan—where PP hopes to open a mega mill! The PP execs were all in court--i.e. Lori Lamerand.

The hearing went very, very well for us! At first it looked like Judge James Alexander was taking PP's side on the Comfort Inn deed restriction interpretation of "office"--and medical office use-- but in the end he decided to give both sides 60 days to file more response briefs, do depositions, research and discovery--which means PP did NOT get what they hoped for today and we did! In other words, this is a real FIGHT-- and now we have 60 days more to prove our case in front of the judge. PP was hoping that Alexander would simply rule that the deed restriction allows them to open their "medical office" (a.k.a. abortion clinic) and that's NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

SO—many, many, many more prayers are needed. We will probably plan another vigil—so watch for updates on that.

I want to thank all of the other pro-lifers who came to court. And I thank the Comfort Inn Suites' attorneys--James Carey, Joel Kirkpatrick and Brian Beauman. PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM as they go into the next phase of this battle!

Below you will find stories and links to articles about yesterday’s hearing before Judge Alexander. The Oakland Press link also has good video!

Candlelight Vigil Shows Strong Opposition to Abortion Center

By Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D.
Director of Citizens for a Pro-life Society

Approximately 350 people came out on a warm summer night August 27th and lifted up their voices in hymns and supplication to God that Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan WILL NOT succeed in opening an abortion clinic in Auburn Hills,MI. Catholics and Protestants joined together for this event and it was great. At least 4 Catholic priests and one Anglican priest were also in attendance. The candlelight vigil took place right in front of 1625 N.Opdyke Rd. in Auburn Hills, MI, the building that PP purchased last November 2010, but still remains gutted and silent. A nearby hotel has enforced a deed restriction against PP-- and the whole thing is going to court Sept. 7th in front of Judge James Alexander in Oakland County Court.

Please enjoy the lovely photos of the vigil (below). Many of them were taken by Nick Langlois of "A Nick in Time Photography" Email: njlanglois@sbcglobal.net

CPLS is grateful to Central Oakland Right to Life and Barb Yagley for helping organize this event. We also wish to thank: Rebecca Kiessling, Joe Scheidler, Father Steve Pullis, Pastor Steve Gallegos, Jr., Terry Peck, Kay Thomas, Lynn Mills, Steve Gendregske, Stacy Swimp of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of Michigan, Joseph Miller, the Langlois Family and Crusaders for Life.

CPLS also wishes to thank Pastor John Fields and Heritiage Baptist Church for shuttling service to the vigil. We are grateful!

CPLS Protest of PP Mega Mill

December 17th, 2010 Picket of the Proposed Planned Parenthood Mega-Mill in Auburn Hills, MI.

Conversations with Helpers of PP

By Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D
Director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society

On Thursday, Dec. 2nd your CPLS director spoke to the President of Fidelity bank which sold the Auburn Hills building to Planned Parenthood and also spoke with Mason L. Capitani who brokerd the deal. My intent was two-fold. First to find out if there was any possibilility that the sale had not closed yet and that it could be stopped. Apparently it has closed and this was confirmed by a call made to the Assessor's Office in Auburn Hills. However, I spoke to each gentlemen for a long time and tried without mincing my words that they are responsible for aiding and abetting the destruction of innocent life, by helping PP gain this property. Both Ross and Capitani told me that they actually "sympathized with my cause" in other words, that they too were against abortion. However both of them refused any moral responsibilty. Indeed, the president of Fidelity said that this was just a business transaction and that as business the bank needed to sell to the highest bidder-- and that bidder was Planned Parenthood. There were two other bidders. I told Ross he had a moral obligation to sell to one of those other bidders--even if that meant taking a financial loss. At least he would not have lost his moral integity.

Talking to Ross and Capitani made my head spin. Talk about passing the Moral buck. Captiani said that nothing was his fault-- call Fidelity Bank--it's their fault. When I called Fidelity bank, President Ross said, it's not my fault, it's the city of Auburn Hills' fault--call them! Ok don't worry we will!

My conversations with them were amazingly sad. Selling this building to PP was just a good business transaction-- nevermind they say they agree with our cause. NO THEY DON"T! This was all very enlightening to me-- I could see so plainly the two sets of ethics-- the rules of good business over the rules of God's moral law--and for these men there is no intersection or over lap between these two sets of rules. It is pathetic. Pray for them. And even talk to them. Their numbers are below.

Planned Parenthood
Buys Office in Auburn Hills

Health Care Provider Pays $43 PSF for New Facility

By Elizabeth Gosselin

The buyer will occupy the property as a new clinic and office location. The facility is estimated to open in May/June of 2011.

The 17,050-square-foot office building was constructed in 2005, and is on approximately 1.4 acres in Oakland County.

Mason L. Capitani and Garry Rogers of L. Mason Capitani represented the seller, and JP Champine, Carole Lieberman Rich and Barbara Eaton of Jones Lang LaSalle represented the buyer.

Charges Dropped Against
Notre Dame 88!

By Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D.
Director of Citizens for a Pro-life Society

May 5, 2011-- Almost two years since they were arrested, all criminal charges have been dropped against 88 pro-lifers who protested on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in opposition to the Catholic university’s invitation to pro-abortion President Barack Obama to deliver the commencement speech and receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The commencement occurred May 17, 2009. The pro-lifers were ably represented by the Thomas More Society and lead attorney Thomas Dixon with assistance from American Catholic Lawyers Association (Chris Ferrara, Michael Hirsh and Denis Brenan). In dropping the trespass cases St. Joseph County, Indiana prosecutor, Michael Dvorak brought an end to a difficult and long legal battle between the defendants and Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins. Notre Dame’s Obama invitation ignited a controversy that attracted nationwide attention to the issue of legalized abortion and galvanized the pro-life movement, including dozens of U. S. bishops, to respond to a scandal to the faith of the Church.

Several peaceful protests occurred on campus in the week leading up to the commencement resulting in dozens of arrests. Those arrested included Randall Terry, Norma McCorvey, Missy Smith, Joan Andrews Bell, Fr. Norman Weslin, Jack Ames, Monica Migliorino Miller, and former Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes. On graduation day itself hundreds of pro-lifers from all over the country picketed off-campus while a university “approved” anti-commencement rally took place on campus. Minutes before the graduation began, and with Air Force One flying over their heads, 17 members of Citizens for a Pro-life Society assembled outside of the Joyce Center holding photos of aborted babies whose bodies had been retrieved by members of the group from Michigan abortion clinic trash dumpsters in 2008.

Monica Migliorino Miller, Director of CPLS explains: “Our goal was to show the victims of abortion to the hundreds of ND students already lined up outside of the Joyce Center. If they were going to listen to someone who supports the unjust law of abortion—then we felt they should at least look at the victims of this law that Obama defends and advocates—the law by which the unborn were killed and their bodies tossed in the trash. Our goal was simply to be a witness to the truth—on a day in which the truth needed to be spoken.”

CPLS members, including the group’s director, Monica Migliorino Miller, young Madonna University college students, and Felician Sister Lois Mitoraj were arrested when, after being ordered not to do so by campus police, they proceed to walk past the closed off ticket gates in an attempt to bring their signs as close to the Notre Dame students as possible. See You Tube Video “Nun Arrested at Notre Dame” That the criminal trespass charges were dropped is a great pro-life victory and the consequence of an agreement entered into by the defendants and the University of Notre Dame—an agreement that objectively acknowledged the pro-lifers’ moral and spiritual concerns over the Obama invitation. The agreement, which passed through a number of drafts before several of the defendants believed they could, in conscience, sign it, calls for dialogue towards reconciliation. Indeed, since May 2009 Notre Dame has taken serious initiatives to strengthen its commitment to the sanctity of human life.

“This is a big step forward and a victory for the pro-life cause,” said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society and a 1965 Notre Dame graduate. “We are appreciative of the steps that Notre Dame has taken, including successive visits by University President John Jenkins, C.S.C., and other campus leaders to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., both in 2010 and 2011, to mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and the creation of new and significant pro-life initiatives on campus. Those who share pro-life convictions may differ on tactics and approaches, but they best serve their sacred cause when they work together to secure the common good for all human beings, born and unborn alike, rather than carrying on as courtroom antagonists.”

Miller explains: “With the legal burdens behind us, the dialogue has now only just begun. We know that there is still much progress yet to be made. Even recently the Notre Dame faculty-senate unfortunately refused to pass a resolution in support of Father Jenkins’ participation in the March for Life and the recommendations of the University Task Force on Life. As a pro-life leader and a university professor, I will certainly continue to encourage Notre Dame to standup for life and I am more than willing to recognize that improvements have been made in this regard since our arrests in May 2009.

 I am so very grateful to our attorneys, especially Tom Dixon, who threw themselves into our defense and fought it out to the end. This is a great victory for the truth—that human life is sacred. I hope that someday even Obama will know and embrace justice for the unborn. We pray, no matter what, that our own pro-life commitment will never waver.”

Charges Against ND 88 Dropped

By Thomas A. Ubbing

May 5th Saint Joseph County Indiana prosecutor Michael Dvorak dropped the charges against the ND 88 at the behest of Notre Dame. The date marked two years since the events that led to their arrest for trespassing as they peacefully protested Catholic honors for President Barack Obama.

The defendants and Notre Dame moved to settle their differences by means of an “Agreement Not to Sue” which included two press releases to be issued once the prosecutor officially dropped the charges. The agreement states that it was during the course of discovery proceedings where Notre Dame officials were subpoenaed by the ND 88’s counsel that prospects of reconciliation were discussed. The final agreement was not the first attempted. Key ND 88 figures could not sign the first draft in good conscience and pushed for changes which ND accepted.     continue reading here..........

What a great way to help CPLS raise money!!