Joni Earl just sent the statement we've been waiting for, including a letter that Puget Sound Komen sent today to the national chapter, which makes clear that the Puget Sound affiliate wants to "express our extreme disappointment and frustration with the new grant policy adopted by Komen National."

It also makes clear that this conversation, as was reported today, has been happening internally—and that people inside Komen, including affiliates like Puget Sound, have seen this train wreck coming and been warning against it. (In other words, it's not a "media conspiracy," as Elisabeth Jameson of Seattle Westin tried to claim earlier today.)

"As we communicated with Komen National last month on behalf of our Board and Staff, we believe that this policy is overly broad and strips the authority from affiliates to determine how to best serve our local communities with the funds entrusted to us by our donors. We were further dismayed at Komen National's failure to consider feedback from the affiliates before taking this action."

Continued:

We believe this policy is misguided and respectfully reiterate our request that the policy be rescinded or revised to permit greater flexibility to the affiliates to evaluate grant applicants and, together with Komen National, determine whether an applicant should be ineligible for funding.

We must consider the implications of this policy on women worldwide.

I will try to get Earl's perspective on why Komen Puget Sound isn't just doing like Denver and ignoring the defunding mandate.

Here's the whole PDF.

Earl also added a personal statement of her own:

I want to point out that my volunteer role with Susan G. Komen for the Cure is at a personal level and completely separate from my role at Sound Transit. My mother is a breast cancer survivor, as are many friends and colleagues, and this is a cause I am very passionate about. I have sisters, granddaughters, a step-daughter and daughter-in-law, and I am personally committed to help end breast cancer forever so they never face what so many women are facing today.

As President of the Puget Sound Affiliate for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, I am attaching a letter we sent to our founder and CEO regarding National Komen’s new grant criteria. This is the official position of our Board and staff. All inquiries should be made to Jim Clune, Communications, Manager, 206-633-0303, extension 116 or jim@pskomen.org.

I'll be directing my question to Clune, then: Why is Puget Sound different from Denver? (Yep, I also sent him a private email to ask.)