Colorado officials allocated $14 million in taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood, directly violating legislation which prohibits the state from funding abortions.
According to the Norton v. Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood complaint filed Thursday:
“Upon information and belief, since about January 15, 2009 to the present date, the Colorado Government Defendants and other Colorado government agencies have provided approximately $14 million in public funds to Defendant Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood and thereby have, in violation of Colorado’s Abortion Funding Prohibition Amendment, directly or indirectly subsidized Planned Parenthood Services’ abortion operations.”
Two years ago, the Colorado Department of Public Health terminated a 24-year contract with Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood after uncovering it was subsidizing rent for abortion-performing affiliate Planned Parenthood Services.
A recent look at government records through the “Transparency Online Project” revealed taxpayer dollars had continued to stream into Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood despite the annulled contract.
“Public officials should respect the law and the democratic process rather than ignore both to fill Planned Parenthood’s bank account,” said Senior Counsel Michael J. Norton.
Colorado voters twice supported a state constitutional amendment forbidding public abortion funding, once in 1984 and again in 1986. According to Article V. Sect. 50:
“No public funds shall be used by the State of Colorado, its agencies or political subdivisions to pay or otherwise reimburse, either directly or indirectly, any person, agency or facility for the performance of any induced abortion....”
Jane Norton, a former executive director of the Colorado health department, is being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom in the case.