Posted on 02/07/2012 8:18:18 AM PST by Rutles4Ever
Karen Handel, a top Komen official who was said to be instrumental in putting in place the changes in Komen policy that essentially resulted in cutting funding for Planned Parenthood, has resigned her position.
As LifeNews reported last week, Komen initially decided in December to revise its grant-making process to funds grants to agencies that provide direct health services for women — which would eliminate Planned Parenthood since it does not do mammograms. After Planned Parenthood, Democratic members of Congress and the media pounced on Komen for its decision, Komen clarified that Planned Parenthood would still be allowed to submit grant requests but they may or may not be funded.
TEXT OF LETTER
February 7, 2012
The Honorable Nancy Brinker
CEO, Susan G. Komen for the Cure VIA EMAIL
5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250
Dallas, Texas 75244
Dear Ambassador Brinker:
Susan G. Komen for the Cure has been the recognized leader for more 30 years in the fight against breast cancer here in the US – and increasingly around the world.
As you know, I have always kept Komen’s mission and the women we serve as my highest priority – as they have been for the entire organization, the Komen Affiliates, our many supporters and donors, and the entire community of breast cancer survivors. I have carried out my responsibilities faithfully and in line with the Board’s objectives and the direction provided by you and Liz.
We can all agree that this is a challenging and deeply unsettling situation for all involved in the fight against breast cancer. However, Komen’s decision to change its granting strategy and exit the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood and its grants was fully vetted by every appropriate level within the organization. At the November Board meeting, the Board received a detailed review of the new model and related criteria. As you will recall, the Board specifically discussed various issues, including the need to protect our mission by ensuring we were not distracted or negatively affected by any other organization’s real or perceived challenges. No objections were made to moving forward.
I am deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale, and my involvement in it. 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. However, the decision to update our granting model was made before I joined Komen, and the controversy related to Planned Parenthood has long been a concern to the organization. Neither the decision nor the changes themselves were based on anyone’s political beliefs or ideology. Rather, both were based on Komen’s mission and how to better serve women, as well as a realization of the need to distance Komen from controversy. I believe that Komen, like any other nonprofit organization, has the right and the responsibility to set criteria and highest standards for how and to whom it grants.
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. This is entirely untrue. This development should sadden us all greatly.
Just as Komen’s best interests and the fight against breast cancer have always been foremost in every aspect of my work, so too are these my priorities in coming to the decision to resign effective immediately. While I appreciate your raising a possible severance package, I respectfully decline. It is my most sincere hope that Komen is allowed to now refocus its attention and energies on its mission.
Sincerely, Karen Handel
In today's “culture” not only do “nice guys” finish last; sometimes honest men and women do, too. At least Karen Handel can leave w/her head held high and her integrity intact.
“Komen For The Kill.”
You are right about corrupt Democrat politics. If PP didn’t have the Democrats supporting them, where would they be? The Dems give them millions of dollars of OUR money, they are guard dogs for PP in the legislature, fighting any proposals to limit abortion in any way and notice how 26 Dem senators came at Komen like so many bats out of hell. Notice how Mayor Greenberg jumped right in with a huge donation to PP. The Dems know that Planned parenthood is a big part of their power base, Planned Parenthood donates a large sum of money to Dem politicians, money which the Dems have given to them from our taxpayer dollars. Planned Parenthood and the Dems can also count on a certain percentage of votes from angry or gulible women who think that abortion is a woman’s right. The Democrat coalition came out of the closet to reveal who they really were. Maybe this will wake up a lot of Americans.
I sometimes wonder about who sits on the boards of these charities and foundations. Remember how Obama and Bill Ayres managed to get on the board of the Annenberg Fund. I hope freepers can shed some light on this. I sometimes get the feeling that the far left is working its way through all of the institutions including businesses, foundations and charities by putting its members on their boards, and don’t forget that people on these boards often belong to a number of boards, not just one.
You do realize that to the rats, Planned Parenthood is nothing more than a laundromat for campaign cash? Most of that taxpayer money (ie., Republican money) the rats dump on PP is returned to rat campaign coffers through "donations" and other activities. See how it works?
FRegards,
LH
Yes, I do see how it works, and I can see that this same handy scheme works in many many ways, Solyndra is one example. I think they use this scheme with every Democrat donor group.
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