Washington, DC Newsroom, August 23, 2024 / 3:44 p.m.

The pro-life group 40 Days for Life filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) this week about a mobile abortion clinic operated by Planned Parenthood in Chicago.

The abortion giant offered free abortions and vasectomies to Chicago residents and visitors when the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) was held in downtown Chicago from August 19-22.

Planned Parenthood described the service as a “mobile health clinic” set up in the West Loop neighborhood, and abortion appointments in the van were reportedly sold out before it opened.

In a complaint obtained by CNA, 40 Days for Life told the IRS that by using its abortion vehicle, Planned Parenthood may have engaged in “potentially prohibited political activities” that could “impact the tax-exempt status” of the abortion provider.

The mobile clinic “openly advertises and offers free services from nonprofit organizations to participants in, and is directly related to, a national political rally of a party and certain political candidates,” the complaint states.

These actions “clearly constitute or indicate direct or implicit support for a particular party, platform, or candidate,” which would be considered “prohibited political activities” under U.S. nonprofit rules.

Planned Parenthood itself is constituted as a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3); the IRS stipulates that such organizations are “absolutely prohibited from participating, directly or indirectly, in political campaigns in favor of (or against) candidates for public elective office or from interfering in such campaigns.”

The IRS “should investigate whether Planned Parenthood’s activities violate the prohibition on political activity,” 40 Days for Life said in its complaint.

Shawn Carney, CEO and president of 40 Days for Life, pointed out in a press release that Planned Parenthood “collects $700 million annually from taxpayers.”

“The targeted solicitation of free abortions and other gifts of goods to political parties and candidates is strictly prohibited by the IRS – a basic rule that every nonprofit organization understands,” Carney said.

“The recklessness of Planned Parenthood on such a public stage is astonishing. They clearly have no idea of ​​the situation and apparently no idea of ​​the tax laws,” he said.