The vice president of public policy at Susan G. Komen for the Cure who backed the breast cancer charity's move to strip Planned Parenthood of funding resigned Tuesday, saying she stands by the now-abandoned decision that set off a storm of controversy.
Karen Handel, who had denounced Planned Parenthood as a former gubernatorial candidate in Georgia, said in her resignation letter and later interviews that she was actively engaged in the efforts to cut off the grants.
"I am deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale, and my involvement in it," Handel said in her letter. "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."
The grants, totaling $680,000 last year, went to breast-screening services offered by Planned Parenthood, which provides a range of women's health care services including abortions.
Under criteria developed by Komen during Handel's tenure, Planned Parenthood would have been disqualified from future grants because it was under a congressional investigation launched at the urging of anti-abortion activists.
Komen, the nation's largest breast-cancer charity, reversed course after its decision ignited a three-day firestorm of criticism. Members of Congress and Komen affiliates accused the group's national leadership of bending to pressure.
Handel said the discussion had started before she arrived at the organization last year. She said the charity was concerned that some Roman Catholic dioceses had encouraged believers not to give to Komen because it supported Planned Parenthood.
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