One of Donald Trump’s lawyers is using the Trump administration’s scrutiny of Planned Parenthood to raise money for his conservative activist group, which has directed millions of dollars to his law firm and his family.

Jay Sekulow, a personal attorney to the president, has contracted telemarketers to collect money from the public for his not-for-profit organisation using a script that highlights the justice department’s examination of foetal tissue transfers by groups including the women’s clinic network.



“Planned Parenthood is under full investigation by the Department of Justice for aborting babies and selling their body parts,” the script states, between references to anti-abortion litigation brought by the activist group, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).



It was unclear from the ACLJ script whether Sekulow was merely repeating past media reports of preliminary inquiries made by the justice department, or if the president’s lawyer had learned of a previously undisclosed full investigation.



Claiming that abortion providers have been put “on their heels”, the telemarketers urge listeners to share their credit card details, asking: “Can I let Jay know you’re standing with him with a gift?” Waverers are encouraged to give smaller amounts.



Sekulow is representing Trump in investigations into Russia’s attack on the 2016 presidential election. ACLJ has in recent months used its website to publish attacks against the so-called “deep state” and the former FBI director James Comey, who is a key witness in the Trump-Russia inquiries.



The telephone scripts citing federal inquiries into Planned Parenthood were included in contracts with a marketing company that were personally signed by Sekulow. The contracts outlined a new ACLJ fundraising drive scheduled to begin last month and run until next year. Copies of the contracts were obtained by the Guardian from state regulators.



Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group, said Sekulow’s actions appeared to be legal but were troublesome. “It does not look good that the president’s personal attorney is raising money off of the president’s administration’s actions,” a spokesman, Jordan Libowitz, said in an email.

Gene Kapp, a spokesman for ACLJ, said in a statement that Sekulow’s role with Trump was “separate and distinct” from his work for the group. “The ACLJ continues to engage the issues that matter most to its members – including pro-life issues,” said Kapp. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The justice department signalled an interest in Planned Parenthood with a letter to senators last December from Stephen Boyd, an assistant attorney general appointed by Trump. Boyd asked for records from a congressional inquiry into the use of donated tissue from aborted foetuses. Boyd said the records were “for investigative use”.

The congressional inquiry followed a controversy over undercover video footage, filmed by anti-abortion activists, in which Planned Parenthood employees explained how the group made foetal tissue available to researchers. Two activists involved in making the videos are being prosecuted by California for recording confidential conversations.



Planned Parenthood denied allegations from the anti-abortion campaigners that it profited from the tissue transfers. “These accusations are baseless and have been widely discredited as part of an attempt to end access to reproductive health care at Planned Parenthood health centers, made by an individual currently facing charges in the state of California,” Erica Sackin, a spokeswoman, said in an email.



Sekulow and ACLJ made their names with legal actions aimed at restricting abortion. Last month the US supreme court ruled in their favour in a case they brought against California. The ruling blocked a California law requiring clinics that advise women against abortion to also notify customers that state-funded abortions were available.



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Daniel Borochoff, the president of CharityWatch, said Sekulow’s use of an action by Trump’s government to raise money could complicate his attorney-client relationship with the president.



“It could taint the advice given to the president, if the personal lawyer favours actions that would be more profitable to businesses or organisations from which he or his family profits,” said Borochoff.



ACLJ and an affiliated Sekulow non-profit, Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism (Case), have an unusual financial relationship that complicates analyses of their finances. Despite the two not-for-profit organisations being separate groups, Case also operates under the ACLJ name.



In its latest annual filing to the IRS, Case said it received $52.3m in donations during 2016 and gave $16.8m of this to ACLJ. Meanwhile ACLJ, which uses a different financial calendar, reported a total of $21.3m in donations between April 2016 and April 2017.



The Guardian reported last year that since 2000, ACLJ and Case had paid more than $60m of contributions to Sekulow’s law firm, members of his family and their businesses for various services. These payments have continued since the article was published, according to more recent IRS filings. ACLJ paid Sekulow’s law firm $5.3m in its last reporting period.



The activist group has reported using millions of dollars in contributions to buy properties used as residences by Sekulow family members. The Daily Beast reported in March that ACLJ’s Washington headquarters, which is also funded by contributions from supporters, had been used for work by Trump’s legal team.



Other telemarketing contracts agreed last year, before Sekulow joined Trump’s legal team, show that ACLJ sought to capitalise on excitement among conservatives about Trump’s election victory and promise to repeal Obamacare. “With a new administration and congress, this is our moment to save lives,” telemarketers said in fundraising calls.

