Komen for the Cure is still trying to recover from last week's credibility-killing fiasco involving Planned Parenthood grants, and to that end, there's been a major shake-up within the organization.
Karen Handel announced her resignation as vice president for public policy in a letter to Komen officials Tuesday.
Handel said in her letter that she had supported cutting off funding for Planned Parenthood.
As part of her departure, Handel "openly acknowledge[d]" her role in the Planned Parenthood decision, which is curious given her comments to NBC's Andrea Mitchell last week, when she said she wasn't involved in the decision.
It's unclear exactly how voluntary Handel's resignation is, but it's likely that Komen officials hold her directly responsible for what transpired. As The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg reported last week, Handel, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate from Georgia and staunch opponent of abortion rights and Planned Parenthood, drove the controversial decision within the organization.
The entirety of Handel's resignation letter is online.
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This is very good news, but now, just watch the right ramp up their assault on Ellen's association with JC Penney
What's sad about that is that Ellen's done so much to help people (sure, it's mostly her sponsorss, but Ellen facilitates!) and the right has done NOTHING to help anybody. Their sole purpose is to make sure NO ONE has any kind of help available to them.
JCP told them to go scratch. Ellen is HUGELY popular and since selling JCP stuff is all about the money, too many people are rallying around Ellen. The Christian Taliban don't have a prayer. ;-)
justice
And chalk one up for women's rights.....
I was wondering if or when the rats would jump off the sinking ship....
This might turn around, yet
This is awesome! People power bringing about immediate change, rebelling against the tactics of the GOP & Tea Party. We HAVE to get this kind of momentum behind workers rights and union protoection. If we don't then we will lose our ability to protect ourselves, will have no protection against the greed of the 1% and GOP initiatives.
I'm glad the right thing happened regardless of the circumstances, however having been a past supporter of the Komen organization, they will never get a dime of my money in the future. This whole controversy has also opened my eyes to some of the less admirable policies of this organization. There are many other charitable organizations out there that support the same causes as Komen and they are much more efficient in the use of donor funds. Plus, they are not as politicized at this organization has become. The Komen organization is a CHARITY. It's a grass roots organization. When they were stupid enough to shove a political agenda down their supporters throats, they got what they deserved.
Yup. The damage is done. Handel isn't the only bad apple and their supposed concern about women in general is all marketing for fundraising purposes that goes to pay the half a million dollar salaries at the top.
Not. Interested.
I completely agree with SaabGuy and Joanne. Komen is going to receive much more scrutiny going forward. That can only be good.
I absolutely agree, SaabGuy328. I've just sent Komen my 'rejection' notice. No more donations from me. That money now goes to the Planned Parenthood Breast Fund.
Good points, SaabGuy. Instead of giving money to Komen, which is essentially a pass-through entity, give it directly to those doing the research and providing the services. They're almost always 501(c)(3) organizations, so people will get a tax deduction. When THEY get the money, you pretty much know that all of it will go toward cancer research and preventive screenings/treatments.
I agree completely with SaabGuy.
Wow...what a scam...but are we really surprised? Consider all the under-handed dealings that arise and we find out who is involved and their true agenda....Disgraceful....
I am severing a 17 year relationship w/ SGK. I have walked or volunteered for the Race for the Cure all this time and this year I was registered to participate in my first 3 Day walk to honor my mother who lost her battle with breast cancer 20 years ago this year.
The last week has been a roller coaster but like SaabGuy, the events have brought my attention to so many issues regarding SGK and their practices that I can no longer support them in any way.
Instead of the SGK 3 Day, I will be honoring my mother by walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in NYC this October.
The resignation of Karen Handel is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't change the fact that she was purposefully hired by SGK BECAUSE of her views, and that there has been a pattern of practicing politics over furthering their public mission (because obviously the real mission is different!).
My mom fought for 10yrs and stood up for what she believed in because she was a fighter... she would applaud all of us who have stood up for women's health and I am confident she would be proud of me for doing so as well.
Agreed - and we need to start bringing to light the circular scheme the Right uses to endlessly skim from the rest of us.
Handel is a perfect example. She ran for office on a far right agenda and she was rejected by the people, but, once you're in the Right Wing welfare system - you just keep getting put in overpaid positions by your other Right Wing buddies.
They appoint each other to all their boards and foundations and think tanks, use public money to vastly overpay each other, and then donate some of that public money they get to other Right Wing politicians who then manipulate laws, regs, grants, no-bid contracts and investigations to favor their donors and each other, and keep the money flowing to them. If Handel can't get another gig with some foundation, Fox will hire her, or the Koch Bros. She'll get used for Right Wing fundraising. If she plays it right, ala Palin, she can live off of 'Right Wing Welfare for the Rich' for the rest of her life.
The Right has turned America into a pyramid scheme - with people like Handel as the 1% at the top of the pyramid, endlessly skimming from everyone else, and doing nothing for anybody other than themselves in the process.
I'm waiting for the 99% to really comprehend a very simple fact - the 1% cannot exist without the 99%, but the 99% can exist very well - even better - without the 1%.
HA HA...OK good, not for part two..commit to PP to unrestricted long term funding...maybe then I will support Komen again
Don't hold your breath. Komen For the Cure is working on Plan B, another rationalization for them to withhold funding for Planned Parenthood:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/02/05/mammogram-diversion-real-changes-in-komens-policy-and-potential-new-roadblocks-fu
People who raise money should beware of SGK. They made a bad decision by hiring a political hack as VP. The people who run SGK were well aware of Handel's political position and did nothing to stop her. Donate directly to Planned Parenthood and annoy the Republicans.
This is just a small part of the growing national rejection of right-wing Tea Party politicians and policies by the body politic. The overreach by far-right republicans since 2010 has been simply spectacular, and is about to lead to a spectacular downfall in November.
Who set up the WordPress site, KarenHandelKomen.com to display this letter online? Was it Karen Handel herself? If so, then Handel is even more dysfunctional than we already knew.
Nothing else to say. Full stop.
As it turns out, Handel is giving a press conference this afternoon.The fact that she is holding a press conference further demonstrates the extent of her dysfunctional personality. Such a press conference can't be good for Handel, and it definitely won't be good for Komen (or it's cause).
If the board can't or won't refute that statement, then they all need to resign as well, yes?
Good riddance.
With any luck the whole Komen organization will fail quickly. Please donate to any breast cancer end-charity of your choice. Donating to an agregator like Komen only guarantees your dollars go into the pockets of those who do not serve the cause. Give money to those who need it, not leeches like Komen.
This is VERY good news!
Nothing speaks to credibility like serial lying by officials of an organization.
Is there any reason to believe that Komen has any credibility left? Hiring Ari Flecher to white-wash the organization is not a positive step.
How did this woman get this job in the first place??
Ari Fleischer.
And that, right there, is all that needs to be said about Komen.
See above re: Ari Fleischer et al..
The founder has long and deep ties to the repuke party in Indiana. It was only a small step to add Susan G. to the long list of benefactors of the wingnut welfare system for out of work repuke politicians.
they are still a bunch of thugs. SGK is nothing more than a re-distributor of donations, does no actual charity work and doles out an appalling lack of the $$ they collect. they are also Sue happy when it comes to other charities, employing a team of high priced atty's suing other charities. Do Not Give To SGK EVER !!! give directly to a Real charity not this group of misanthropes
What a bitch. Silly woman cures don't give a dang about politics.
hey-o... no thank you.
are they now going to restore the $12M funding for embryonic stem cell research that they pulled from Johns Hopkins et al?
Online activism works, Y'all, and don't you forget it. Now for those other issues,,,,
Good ridance. I think it is very clear that major damage has been done. This is just part of a overall Reoubliican plan to defund any progran that has anything to do with choice. You are eithe totaly free of the abortion issue or you get no funding under the republican perspective. The total goal is to eliminate choice. So much for getting goverment oust of the business out of our lives.
This is great news, I'm hoping Komen will get back on track without Handel, but after last week' debacle I did more digging on Komen. I'm going to continue my boycott and here's why:
1. Did you know that Komen Foundation has sued over 100 small companies and organizations for ...using the phrase, "For the cure?" I can understand being proprietary over the pink ribbons, but "for the cure" ??? Meanwhile they are spending only 24% of their income on research...
2. Komen has a consistent record of allying itself with purveyors of goods that are harmful to women's health and the environment, including cosmetics, food products and gasoline. One the the most comical examples was when they partnered with Kentucky Fried Chicken to sell "Bucket for the Cure"- pink buckets of fried chicken - nevermind that consumption of fried chicken, (fried foods and animal products in general) has been directly linked to cancer.
3. Komen had another public almost-disaster in 2011 when it launched a perfume, Promise Me, found to contain a suspected hormone disruptor, a known neurotoxin and an anticoagulant banned for use in human food, and later removed it from the market.
4. I wondered why in every interview I found, Nancy Brinker would evade the question when asked about new mammogram guidelines, new screening techniques and breast cancer prevention. No matter what the question is, she gives the same answer, which is to repeat the recommendations for mammograms from 30 years ago and to talk about the new [expensive] breast cancer drugs. I found out that Komen accepts very large amounts of money from 1.) companies who make mammogram equipment, and 2.) the pharmaceutical companies that developed the new, expensive breast cancer drugs. Although almost 40% of the Komen budget is allegedly spent on "public education," this "education" consists of pushing mammograms and plugging the new drugs, and seems to have little to do with prevention.
I don't know why I'm even suprised about this, but I am stunned and disgusted.
You've included yet more information most of us didn't know. This is our strength, collating information many of us had, checking it out -- sincere mistakes are always possible, like the 'pink gun story' -- and then using it.
So tell us, certainly, but take the next step. Find a company or organization in your area that runs SGK events, and send them an e-mail saying just what you said. Form letters and petitions may not work, but obvious;y heartfelt personal letters have a chance of being effective.
Prup
Don't wait to be heard by the Powerful -- Remember WE are the powerful.
Bringing politics into this was just wrong. I am glad she is gone, and I applaud whomever turned this decision around.
I agree with that, but I still have to question why Handel was hired to begin with. As the poster above said, this caused me to do more investigating into Komen, and I was a bit horrified at what I found.
Far too much of the donation dollar goes into maintaining the organization, and far too little goes toward actual breast cancer issues. Sorry, but a CEO salary close to half a million per year is not what I consider the best use of my money.
Karen Handel: "The Designated Head that Must Roll" Tip of the iceberg.
I don't know if this is uncool or against procedure, but I am going to repost two comments I just made in the previous SGK thread -- before I knew of this update:
Can't praise or repeat this sentiment often enough,. Blogs are not 'Sports Talk Radio.' We don't merely 'shout our words into the ether, hoping they will be heard by someone with power.' We have power ourselves -- and the SGK affair reminded us we do and how to use it.
Two points: We can't think this battle is 'won and over.' Not only is the SGK 'walk-back' as phony as many people here have pointed out, but Republicans are still trying to make the story about PP instead of about SGK, and we have to push back against that. (I will be including in another comment my own updated letter to the MLBPA pointing out the other problems that have come out about Komen -- if you follow my example, hit the 'anti-union' point harder than i felt free to do.)
Second: As a matter of effectiveness, we should 'watch our language' more carefully. For example, the word 'sociopathic' in the above note adds nothing to the point. But it forgets our aim is to convince people to join us, not merely to vent our feelings. In fact 'sociopathic' is an extreme term that might apply to the farthest reaches of the right wing -- but even if you disagree with me on this, consider the effect the term has on a Republican who is becoming more and more shaky about his or her party. Will he or she know you mean 'the leaders' or will they think you mean them -- and immediately be so offended at being called 'sociopaths' they don't hear a word you are saying.
(Personal illustrative example: my wife and I argue a lot, and frequently she will get me to agree to her position, then follow up with a personal remark that angers me so much that I don't just decide to ignore her point, I actually forget what it was.)
Just remember, you aren't talking to us -- meaning the liberals out there. We don't need convincing, just motivating. You are trying to reach people who can be convinced. Keeo that in mind when you review your post.
The 'follow-up' is #32, btw.
Very good news but I still will not be donating to SGK in the future. Through this debacle I have learned a lot about the organization and I feel they do not use their donated money at all efficiently. I also firmly believe that they allowed politics inside their charitable organization which is absolutely unacceptable to me personally. SGK hired her now they will pay dearly for their very poor decision.
Why mention the a separation package in this email?
To display how righteous and good she is and to show that there was no golden parachute of fundraising monies.
I am sure that wingnut welfare will kick in long before her salary officially ends.
See my comment (#35) about why she refused the severance package.
Good riddance!!!! Being a new Cancer survivor. I am disgusted that political affiliation had anything to do with helping to prevent cancer. That should be the only concern of this organization..
MONEY is the only concern of this organization.