Komen VP quits in funding controversy
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ATLANTA -- A vice president at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation resigned Tuesday, saying the breast cancer charity should have stood by its politically explosive decision to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood.
Karen Handel, a Republican who opposed abortion as a candidate for Georgia governor, said she was actively engaged in efforts to cut off the grants and that the charity's policy reversal hurt its core mission.
"I am deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale and my involvement in it," Ms. Handel said in her letter. "I openly acknowledge my role in the matter and continue to believe our decision was the best one for Komen's future and the women we serve."
The grants, totaling $680,000 last year, went to breast-screening services offered by Planned Parenthood, which provides a range of women's health care services including abortions. Under criteria developed by Komen during Ms. Handel's tenure, Planned Parenthood would have been disqualified from future grants because it was under a congressional investigation launched at the urging of anti-abortion activists.
Komen, the nation's largest breast-cancer charity, reversed course after its decision ignited a three-day firestorm of criticism. Members of Congress and Komen affiliates accused the group's national leadership of bending to pressure from anti-abortion activists.
Ms. Handel said the discussion had started before she arrived at the organization last year. She said the charity was concerned that some Roman Catholic dioceses had encouraged believers not to give to Komen because it supported Planned Parenthood. "I was tasked with identifying options that would allow us to move to neutral ground about this, so we weren't on either side of, you know, pro-life, pro-choice," Ms. Handel said.
Ms. Handel said the now-abandoned policy was fully vetted by the Komen organization. Its board did not raise any objections when it was presented with the proposed policy in November, she said.
The breast cancer charity cited a probe backed by anti-abortion groups and launched by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., to determine whether Planned Parenthood improperly spent public money on abortions. Planned Parenthood says taxpayer money is strictly separated.
Until Tuesday, Ms. Handel had publicly kept silent about her role in the dispute. "What was a thoughtful and thoroughly reviewed decision -- one that would have indeed enabled Komen to deliver even greater community impact -- has unfortunately been turned into something about politics," she said. "This is entirely untrue. This development should sadden us all greatly."
First Published February 8, 2012 12:00 am
