Susan G. Komen for the Cure critics slam fund cuts to Planned Parenthood
NEW YORK -- Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the renowned breast-cancer charity, faced an escalating backlash Thursday over its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood.
Komen has been deluged with negative emails and Facebook postings, accusing it of knuckling under to pressure from anti-abortion groups since The Associated Press reported Tuesday that it was halting grants that Planned Parenthood affiliates used for breast exams and related services. The grants totaled $680,000 last year.
Planned Parenthood has been heartened by an outpouring of support in response to the cutoff. In addition to $400,000 in smaller donations from 6,000 people, it is receiving $250,000 from a family foundation in Dallas and a $250,000 pledge announced Thursday by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to match future donations.
In Washington, 26 U.S. senators -- 25 Democrats and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont -- signed a letter calling on Komen to reconsider its decision.
"It would be tragic if any woman, let alone thousands of women, lost access to these potentially lifesaving screenings because of a politically motivated attack," the senators wrote.
Komen's top leaders on Thursday denied Planned Parenthood's assertion that the decision was driven by pressure from anti-abortion groups.
Komen has said the decision stemmed from newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations under investigation, which affects Planned Parenthood because of an inquiry by a Republican congressman acting with encouragement from anti-abortion activists.
Komen's founder and CEO, Nancy Brinker said there were additional factors, notably changes in the types of breast-health service providers it wanted to support.
A source with direct knowledge of decision-making at Komen's headquarters in Dallas gave a different account, saying the grant-making criteria were adopted with the deliberate intention of targeting Planned Parenthood.
The criteria's impact on Planned Parenthood, and its status as the focus of government investigations, were highlighted in a memo distributed to Komen affiliates in December.
According to the source a driving force behind the move was Karen Handel, who was hired by Komen last year as vice president for public policy after losing a campaign for governor in Georgia in which she stressed her anti-abortion views and frequently denounced Planned Parenthood.
