Susan G. Komen for the Cure reversed course Friday on its decision to stop funding the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, apologizing in a statement for causing any confusion about its mission to save women's lives.
Former Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel, who joined Komen last year as its vice president for public policy, has been widely credited with engineering the split -- which morphed into a public relations nightmare.
Komen founder and CEO Nancy Brinker told MSNBC Thursday night that Handel was not behind the move. But University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock said a close adviser and friend of Handel's had indicated otherwise.
Bullock, who declined to name the individual, said that when they spoke Wednesday, Handel's friend "was quite pleased" with Komen's announcement that it would bar Planned Parenthood from receiving grants. "He said it was something she set out to do, and she achieved it," Bullock said.
Handel could not be reached for comment Friday.
Charlie Harper, editor of PeachPundit and a friend of the former Georgia secretary of state, said he has no inside knowledge on the matter. But he noted that in her run for governor, Handel endured attacks for being too soft on abortion.
"I just find it amazing that within two years ... she has been on exact opposite sides of the same issue, depending on whose prism and purpose it serves that day," Harper said.
As for the fallout from the Komen controversy, "I hate to say scapegoat, but she's definitely become the focal point on this issue," Harper said.
In its original announcement Tuesday, Komen said it would no longer make grants funds to organizations that were under local, state or federal investigation. Florida Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns is investigating whether Planned Parenthood violated a federal prohibition against using federal funds for abortion services. Komen's grants to Planned Parenthood are restricted to breast examinations.
"We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not," Brinker said in the Friday statement.
Brinker said Komen will amend its policy "to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair."
Atlanta area residents who have participated in Komen's "Race for the Cure" events reacted to this week's events in a variety of ways.
"It has been really gut-wrenching for us, because we always have supported Komen in the past, but we are also big supporters of Planned Parenthood," said Kyle Cole, of Grant Park. He and his wife, who have lost family members to breast cancer, have run in Komen races for more than a decade, he said. "But after all that has come out, we aren't going to go back."
But Snellville resident Karen McEnheimer said the controversy will not dissuade her from participating in May's Race for the Cure at Atlantic Station.
"I will be there and I also will walk in Boston for my ninth walk," she wrote on the Facebook page of Komen's Atlanta affiliate. "My donors did not give to me because of the support to PP ... "
Tom Kuipers, of Alpharetta, said Komen both won and lost his support this week. Kuipers, whose mother died of cancer, said he and his wife have never given money to Komen because of its long-standing funding of Planned Parenthood. After this week's decision to halt that funding, he emailed friends who participate in the races to offer his financial assistance.
"To see them reverse the decision after getting brow-beaten by the abortion-rights crowd was very disappointing," he said.
Both Komen and Planned Parenthood said they are eager to move past the controversy, which involved about $700,000 in grant money that went to 19 Planned Parenthood centers -- none in Georgia.
After the initial announcement, Planned Parenthood raised more than $3 million in support while the Komen Foundation reportedly raised at least $1 million. Komen did not respond to calls Friday seeking its latest fundraising figures.
"At the end of the day, we are both big and dedicated organizations working to improve women’s health," said Planned Parenthood of Atlanta spokeswoman Leola Reis. "It's been a big emotional rollercoaster for both organizations."
As for Handel, political experts in Georgia said it's too soon to say how speculation about her involvement will affect her future. In any case, they said, Handel has shown no interest in running for office again in Georgia.
"I've seen nothing to indicate that her stock is diminished if she wanted to," Harper said, "but nothing to indicate she is positioning herself for something."
Bullock, too, said he doubts that Handel intends to return to Georgia politics. However, he said, if she wanted to take the helm of a conservative interest group, this week's controversy might "serve her well."
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