Susan G. Komen For the Cure founder and CEO Nancy Brinker took to YouTube to clarify a recent decision by her foundation to stop giving grants to Planned Parenthood.
In the video, Ms. Brinker says the move was not politically influenced, and has been “mischaracterized.”
Komen recently stopped giving grants to Planned Parenthood, citing a congressional investigation that was launched in September by U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican.
Mr. Stearns, head of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, launched an investigation in late 2011 regarding Planned Parenthood’s use of federal funds and compliance with federal abortion laws.
Komen recently implemented a national policy that prevents them from giving funds to any organization that is undergoing a national investigation.
Planned Parenthood supporters and members believe that the funding cutoff is due to political pressure from conservative anti-abortion activists. Their claim is the result of Karen Handel joining the foundation in 2011 as their Vice President for Policy, after a failed run for governor in the state of Georgia. She ran on an pro life platform, and called for an end to state funding for Planned Parenthood.
On Wednesday, Ms. Brinker tried to address the growing concerns of Planned Parenthood activists who have been staging protests, and calling the move a politically motivated one.
“These changes mean that we will be able to do more to help women and advance the fight against breast cancer,” said Ms. Brinker in the video Wednesday. “We are working to eliminate duplicative grants, freeing up more dollars for higher impact programs, and wherever possible we want to grant to the provider that is actually providing the lifesaving mammogram.”
The decision will not be applied to any current outstanding grants to Planned Parenthood, but will prevent them from acquiring any future grants from the breast cancer prevention group.
Komen reportedly gave more than $1 million in grants to Planned Parenthood over the past two years, Politico reports.
Komen also posted a comment about the decision to its Facebook page, trying to further clarify that its decision was not political.
“Grant-making decisions are not about politics — our priority is and always will be the women we serve. Making this issue political or leveraging it for fundraising purposes would be a disservice to women,” said Komen on its Facebook page.
Ms. Brinker did not mention Planned Parenthood by name in her YouTube video Wednesday, however the video post was likely a reply to the protests and numerous comments her organization received on its Facebook page.
In response to the decision, Planned Parenthood now has a message posted to the home page of its website informing members and donors of the decision from Komen. The message includes a link where people can donate, and claims that Komen made the move because of pressure from “health political organizations.”
Ms. Brinker attempted to refute that notion several times in the video Wednesday.
“We will never bow down to political pressure, we will always stand up for our goal to end breast cancer forever,” said Ms. Brinker.
