For days now Nancy Brinker has said, over and over, that Karen Handel -- the one-time gubernatorial candidate from Georgia and Palin pal -- had nothing to do with Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision to cut its funding to Planned Parenthood. Handel, who's Komen's senior vice-president for public policy, didn't say anything. Till now, when she says: I'm out.
The Associated Press has gotten its hands on her adios missive, in which the abortion foe writes that she is "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." So, that, as they say, is that.
Well, not quite: Late yesterday we got word that several groups -- including reps from MoveOn.org, CREDO Action and UltraViolet -- are congregating at Komen's LBJ HQ at noon today to drop off "petitions signed by nearly 850,000 people demanding that Komen not let anti-choice extremists get in the way of funding life-saving breast health care services for women." Will we be there? Why, yes.
Update at noon: Below is a statement from MoveOn.org concerning Handel's resignation and the reason for today's still-scheduled protest.
In response to Karen Handel's resignation as vice president for public policy of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Elena Perez, Campaign Director for MoveOn.org, released the following statement:
"Karen Handel's resignation is welcome news to hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members who spoke out against Komen's decision to let anti-choice extremists get in the way of funding life-saving breast health care for women. Komen should continue to fund Planned Parenthood breast health screenings, and never again let politics come before the fight against breast cancer."
Today, MoveOn.org, along with CREDO Action and UltraViolet will protest outside Susan G. Komen for the Cure headquarters in Dallas, TX and deliver petitions signed by nearly 850,000 people demanding that Komen continue funding grants for Planned Parenthood. You can read MoveOn's petition here: http://pol.moveon.org/komen/?id=&t=2
Handel's resignation comes after Komen announced that Planned Parenthood would no longer be eligible for funding for breast health screenings, and then later reversed their decision after facing public outcry. Even though Komen reversed their decision to ban grants to organizations under politically-motivated investigation, they have yet to pledge that they will continue funding Planned Parenthood health care affiliates beyond 2012.
The event is taking place at Susan G. Komen for the Cure Headquarters in Dallas at Noon; 5005 L.B.J Freeway, Suite 250 Dallas, TX 75244
