A pro-life organization has filed an IRS complaint alleging Planned Parenthood violated its nonprofit status by offering free abortions near the Democratic National Convention. The complaint accuses Planned Parenthood of targeting the convention and its attendees with political favors and violating the prohibition against direct or implicit endorsements of specific political parties or candidates.
A pro-life group has filed an IRS complaint against Planned Parenthood, alleging that its deployment of a mobile abortion van offering free services near the Democratic National Convention violated its nonprofit status this week.
The organization, 40 Days for Life, exclusively shared the filings with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, accusing Planned Parenthood Great Rivers and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers – IL of violating their tax-exempt status.
Planned Parenthood's Mobile Abortion Clinic Sparks IRS Complaint Ahead of DNC
"Targeting political parties and candidates with free abortions and other in-kind gifts is strictly prohibited by the IRS — a basic rule that every nonprofit understands," CEO Shawn Carney told Fox News Digital. "Planned Parenthood’s recklessness on such a public stage is astounding."
The filing alleges that Planned Parenthood's actions violate the IRS prohibition against political endorsements by nonprofits by offering free services to attendees of the Democratic National Convention, a political rally for one party and its candidates.
Planned Parenthood's Mobile Abortion Clinic Sparks IRS Complaint Ahead of DNC
"These actions by Planned Parenthood openly advertise and provide free services from not-for-profit entities to participants of and in direct relation to a nationwide political rally for one party and certain political candidates," the filing states.
The complaint goes on to argue that Planned Parenthood's actions "clearly are and/or suggest direct or implicit endorsements of a certain party, platform, and candidates," which violates its obligation as a nonprofit not to engage in political endorsements.
Planned Parenthood's Mobile Abortion Clinic Sparks IRS Complaint Ahead of DNC
The filing cites Planned Parenthood Great Rivers' announcement that its bus would be in Chicago during the DNC to offer free vasectomies and medication abortions. As of Tuesday, a Planned Parenthood worker told Fox News Digital that the bus was fully booked for medication abortions.
Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colleen McNicholas defended the mobile clinic in a statement, saying, "Accessibility is a core value at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, and our mobile health clinic helps us bring care to more people who need it."
Planned Parenthood's Mobile Abortion Clinic Sparks IRS Complaint Ahead of DNC
However, Carney characterized Planned Parenthood's actions as a cynical attempt to use the DNC to promote abortion rights and target political opponents.
"Alongside the filing is — what a dark and somewhat goofy message that the DNC is sending, that abortion will be a priority, not in philosophy or policy, but in action, that we're going to do abortions as part of our convention, and brag about it," Carney said. "We have never seen a political party, or frankly, a candidate, celebrate abortion as the No. 1 issue."
Democrats have made abortion a central issue in their 2024 platform, while Republicans have emphasized the importance of states' rights in determining abortion regulations.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Planned Parenthood for comment.
