Karen Handel, Right Wing VP of Komen Quits Over Planned Parenthood Flap

Here at AlterNet, we’ve been writing extensively about the ties between Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Karen Handel, the organization’s new Senior VP with right wing ties and an anti-abortion vendetta, and its controversial move to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood–a move that they later apologized for and reversed.

After the strong link between Handel’s hiring and the disastrous policy were revealed, many expected her to resign. An ad for a position that looked suspiciously like hers even popped up on Komen’s site (password protected).

She finally left this morning–a long-awaited victory for the forces of sanity, and an indication that at last, Komen may be reckoning with the seriousness of their mistake.

From the AP’s Ray Henry:

ATLANTA (AP) — An executive with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity has resigned after a dispute over funding for Planned Parenthood. The resignation came in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

Karen Handel (HAN’-duhl) 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.

A link to Karen Handel’s letter is here. She claims the decision to cut off funding was made due to a “a realization of the need to distance Komen from controversy”–but of course, as we now know, it did exactly the opposite.

Here’s more on the controversy from AlterNet and our partners:

Busting Through the Media Firestorm: 6 Essential Facts About the Komen Controversy By Sarah Seltzer

5 Important Lessons from the Komen/Planned Parenthood Fiasco (Don’t Mess With Women’s Health), by Lauren Kelley

6 Things You Need To Know About the Komen Foundation/Planned Parenthood Controversy , by Sarah Seltzer

I Will Not Be Pinkwashed: Komen’s Race Is For Money, Not Cure, by Emily Michele, ButterBeliever

Komen Foundation Exploits Breast Cancer Mission to Make War on Planned Parenthood, by Jodi L. Jacobson, RH Reality Check

Breasts Yes, Vaginas No? How to Fight Back Against Komen “Race for the Cure” Foundation’s Bizarre Capitulation to Right-Wingers, by Amanda Marcotte

By Sarah Seltzer | Sourced from AlterNet

Posted at February 7, 2012, 7:43 am