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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Ladies Komen Denies Political Motivations to Cut Planned Parenthood Cash

Posted by Dominic Holden on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 3:53 PM

After its thundering silence, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® just released a statement. Komen says that even though its board just invented a new rule that singles out funding for Planned Parenthood—that is, a funding cut the board justified by citing an inquisition led by congressional Republicans—politics totally had nothing to do with it:

We are dismayed and extremely disappointed that actions we have taken to strengthen our granting process have been widely mischaracterized. It is necessary to set the record straight...

We regret that these new policies have impacted some longstanding grantees, such as Planned Parenthood, but want to be absolutely clear that our grant-making decisions are not about politics.

Read the whole implausible statement.

Comments (31) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

typo: "even though it [sic] board"

Posted by ryanayr on February 1, 2012 at 3:58 PM

"incredulous" does not mean what you seem to think it does. "incredulity-inducing" or even "incredulity-defying" might do the trick.

Posted by Warren Terra on February 1, 2012 at 4:04 PM

"Incredulous" means "not easily fooled." You probably meant, "incredible" or "unbelievable." Signed, Nonexistent Copy Editor.

Posted by maddogm13 on February 1, 2012 at 4:06 PM

KOMEN'S CORPORATE SPONSORS:

http://ww5.komen.org/CorporatePartners.a…

Those corporations might be interested in hearing how you feel about the way Komen isn't dispensing their funds.

Posted by judybrowni on February 1, 2012 at 4:06 PM

They're lying. The other alternative is that they're the dumbest board ever. Either explanation should give donors pause.

Posted by jt on February 1, 2012 at 4:07 PM

But was it on pink paper, because if it was obviously the womens will Lurrrvvvve it. My eyes have rolled so far back in my head I may need medical intervention. They weren't all that credible to begin with and this isn't helping.

Posted by Mugwumpt on February 1, 2012 at 4:08 PM

komen's facebook page is getting hammered by pissed off people. they delete posts directly to their wall almost immediately, but they allow comments on their own posts to stand. seems to be about 8 pissed off comments to every 1 happy comment on the top post right now. over 6,000 comments on that post. it's a fun read.

Posted by onion on February 1, 2012 at 4:09 PM

And by the way, this statement is rather obviously complete bullshit in light of stories like this:

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/20…

I truly can't believe that any organization as well-connected as this one wouldn't have foreseen the firestorm that resulted from their decision. But as this statement suggests, they must have figured their supporters were too stupid to use the Internet to get the background story.

Posted by maddogm13 on February 1, 2012 at 4:11 PM

Boycott Komen and support Planned Parenting directly. It's obvious that Komen's decision was wholly political.

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2012/02/kome…

Posted by Patricia Kayden on February 1, 2012 at 4:16 PM

2, 3: Yes and thank you.

Posted by Dominic Holden on February 1, 2012 at 4:18 PM

That's some of the least effective lying and obfuscation I have ever seen.

Posted by SLCamper on February 1, 2012 at 4:18 PM

Methinks they doth protest too much.

Posted by merry on February 1, 2012 at 4:21 PM

Oh, I completely believe them. I also believe that banning guns had nothing to do with Fast and Furious, and I believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus. Oh, yeah, and politicians have our best interests at heart. Almost forgot that one.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on February 1, 2012 at 4:24 PM

I guess they pissed off a whole lot of women. But at least it's opened eyes.

Posted by Vince on February 1, 2012 at 4:27 PM

Komen better than anyone should understand who it is who participates in their events, and who "sponsors" those runners (that is, makes donations to Komen in the name of the runners). The runners are, generally speaking, upper middle class, relatively fit and well-educated white women in their 40s and 50s. The "sponsors" are their close friends. This is not a demographic in which a virulent anti-abortion stand polls well. In fact they're pretty much the Planned Parenthood donor base. This was pretty big screw up for Komen.

Posted by Eric from Boulder on February 1, 2012 at 4:28 PM

These commenters here must make the the douchebaggers at WPP Inc., and the other consensus-groupthink corps happy ---- you clowns still haven't figured out that Komen, as most foundations, are scams for simpletons????

Morons.......

Posted by sgt_doom on February 1, 2012 at 4:37 PM

Jesus, who did the media training for these rubes? More lying is not a great strategy for placating pissed off donors who think you're lying.

They ought to just own it and say they're not giving money to Planned Parenthood because of abortion instead of just weaseling.

Posted by Westside forever on February 1, 2012 at 4:39 PM

@15: Amen. I pick and choose the issues I get involved in, but this one is major. I sent them a big old nastygram letting them know that I'm in my 60s, breast cancer survivor, walk-for-the-cure-er, long time Komen donor, upper middle class, educated, etc. etc. and they will be sorry if they dis me and my friends.
It will be interesting to see how (not if) they back off.

Posted by crone on February 1, 2012 at 4:46 PM

This is blowing up on Facebook

Posted by DavidC

on February 1, 2012 at 4:52 PM

Amusingly, a Harris poll just named SG Komen as the "most respected brand name" in all of the non-profit world. Boom. That's going to go away real soon now. It's really, really hard to repair a brand reputation after you fuck it over.

Posted by Fnarf

on February 1, 2012 at 5:02 PM

Lying fucking liars are lying.

Posted by MLM on February 1, 2012 at 5:16 PM

Politics had nothing to do with this? And I've got a cruise ship on the Great Salt Lake to sell them....

They are playing political games with women's lives - completely reprehensible and utterly pathetic, but totally predictable actions from the right wingers. With the GOP, party comes before country, purity before parity, and who the hell cares about a bunch of low-income people anyway because they can't make million dollar donations to candidates.
I donated to PP on behalf of SGK and had a card sent to their foundation headquarters indicating the donation. I will not support SGK or Race to the Cure this year - or any year hereafter. Fuck them.

Posted by StuckInUtah on February 1, 2012 at 5:26 PM

So they're saying that Senator Vitter is lying then? I guess that means one of them is. Wonder who?

Meantime, can some of the local DAs around Komen's grant recipients start some investigations to put this new policy to the test (since it's totally not politically motivated).

Posted by usagi on February 1, 2012 at 5:40 PM

Isn't SGK just a business selling the rights to label stuff with pink to promote healthy titties?

Posted by WestSeven on February 1, 2012 at 6:07 PM

Donate to Planned Parenthood directly.
And please, do it now.

Posted by Fire Chief on February 1, 2012 at 6:31 PM

They are of course hoping that nobody noticed that they begun denying grants for embryonic stem cell research at the same time.

Kkklassy.

Posted by Lying antichoice fucktards. on February 1, 2012 at 6:40 PM

@24: Exactly. Pinkwashing exists so corporations can make carcinogenic products and unhealthy food and get goodwill for doing do.

Posted by Right wing & neoliberal incentivizing at its finest. on February 1, 2012 at 6:48 PM

And it doesn't say anything about why they cut funding to PP, just that they did, due to "stronger performance criteria" they've implemented, to free up dollars by "minimiz[ing] "duplication," whatever that means. Well done, people.

Posted by Knat on February 1, 2012 at 7:55 PM

http://imgur.com/EHejT

Posted by gdcv on February 1, 2012 at 8:19 PM

Here's an idea: the Senate should open an investigation into Komen for the Cure. Then, by their own rules, they won't be able to fund themselves. Boosh!

Posted by madcap on February 1, 2012 at 9:13 PM

@28: they don't want to duplicate the money they're going to dump into antichoice crisis centers, obviously.

Posted by Blee blee blah on February 2, 2012 at 6:38 AM