[Update] Some liberals are claiming victory over Komen's revised wording of their plans after being attacked by liberals for two solid days, but other liberals see the revised wording for what it is, not a reversal. The new "announcement does not mean that Planned Parenthood is guaranteed future grants," proclaims Greg Sargent.
[End Update]As some were quick to point out, the statement put out by Komen doesn’t really clarify whether Planned Parenthood will actually continue to get money from the group. The original rationale for barring Planned Parenthood was that it was under investigation (a witch-hunt probe undertaken by GOP Rep Cliff Stearns). Komen said today that the group would “amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political.”
Does that mean Planned Parenthood will get Komen grants in the future?
I asked Komen board member John Raffaelli to respond to those who are now saying that the announcement doesn’t necessarily constitute a reversal until Planned Parenthood actually sees more funding. He insisted it would be unfair to expect the group to commit to future grants.
“It would be highly unfair to ask us to commit to any organization that doesn’t go through a grant process that shows that the money we raise is used to carry out our mission,” Raffaelli told me. “We’re a humaniatrian organization. We have a mission. Tell me you can help carry out our mission and we will sit down at the table.”
Yesterday I wrote about the bruhaha from the angry liberal left against Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the nation’s largest breast cancer advocacy organization, who as the New York Times reported cut off "most of its financial support to the nation’s largest abortion provider," Planned Parenthood.Today we see that donations from the group have risen 100 percent in the last two days since liberals went on the rampage against the Komen Foundation.
According to Washington Post's WonkBlog, CEO Nancy Brinker explained why most of Planned Parenthood's funding was cut.
Brinker says it has to do with the fact that they do not provide mammograms to women, but only provide mammogram referrals. “It was nothing they were doing wrong,” she explained. “We have decided not to fund, whereever possible, pass-through grants. We were giving them money, they were sending women out for mammograms. What we would like to have are clinics where we can directly fund mammograms.”
Life News provides more detail:
She added, later in the day on Twitter:, saying the money “will be invested in programs to serve low-income, uninsured and underinsured women.”
“Our Board approved new grants standards to improve direct services to women,” she said. “New grants standards strive for grants that provide direct services and outcomes. We have to put metrics, outcomes and measures to our grants so we can translate the science we’ve funded over 30 yrs. We will continue to provide services to vulnerable populations with care, treatment and screening.”
William Teach asks over at Pirate's Cove, "What kind of world are we living in where the Susan G. Komen Foundation has to do damage control for pulling funding from an organization that is under federal investigation for potentially using taxpayer money for abortions, financial abuses, and ignoring state and local reporting requirements, often regarding minors? "
Indeed.
Out of the 19 Planned Parenthood affiliates Komen previously funded, they will still continue funding three in Northern Colorado, Southern California and Waco, Tex., because “they are the only provider” of breast health services in the areas they serve.
Liberal's latest hissy fit is over donations made to Komen by Discount Gun Sales which, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, donate a portion of their sales to the Seattle Branch of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.More on what Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is about:
Since its inception in 1982, Komen has invested nearly $2 billion for breast cancer research, education, advocacy, health services and social support programs in the U.S., and through partnerships in more than 50 countries. Today, Komen has more than 100,000 volunteers working in a network of 124 affiliates worldwide. As of March 2011, Komen is listed on Charity Navigator with the site's highest rating of four stars. According to the Harris Interactive 2010 EquiTrend annual brand equity poll, Komen is one of the most trusted nonprofit organizations in America.
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