The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Handel's book, entitled Planned Bullyhood, and due out on September 11, provides a revealing look inside the fiasco that left the reputation of the prominent breast cancer charity badly tarnished.
According to Handel, she was hired by Komen as vice president for public policy in April 2011 and given the task of determining how to best break the ties with Planned Parenthood. Research showing the link between abortion and breast cancer, coupled with the fact that Planned Parenthood provided no mammogram services, faced scores of lawsuits for alleged criminal activity and was under federal investigation, was beginning to cost Komen the support of pro-life and religious leaders across the nation.
The final decision to discontinue $680,000 a year in grants to Planned Parenthood was made late in 2011 and approved by Komen's board. Even though there were no objections from board members, some affiliates were unhappy with the decision. Komen president Liz Thompson informed Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards of the decision in mid-December.
According to Handel, Komen leaders were hopeful that Planned Parenthood would agree to an amicable split and not go public with any angry reaction when they announced their decision. Before any announcement was made, however, Handel became worried that Komen insiders were leaking information and said she could sense that things would end badly for Komen.
“Planned Parenthood would play the victim, accusing Komen of being bullies and succumbing to political pressure,” she writes. “I felt in my heart of hearts that Komen would not have the fortitude to see this through … and somehow knew that I would be the scapegoat.”
She was right on all counts. When the announcement was made on January 31 that Komen had cut off all funds to Planned Parenthood, reaction from the abortion giant was swift and furious. They flooded the press and social media sites with denunciations of Komen and mobilized their supporters to stage rallies across America. Her book describes Planned Parenthood as an aggressive, partisan organization that was more than willing to sacrifice Komen for the sake of their own political agenda.
Handel advised both Thompson and Komen CEO and founder, Nancy Brinker, to stand firm and ride out the storm, but in just a few days, Brinker caved and restored the funds to Planned Parenthood.
“I was upset with myself for not better anticipating how Planned Parenthood would attack. I was angry at what I believed was betrayal by my Komen teammates and our own consultants. And I was deeply disappointed that Nancy had not had the courage to stand up for Komen and what she knew was the best decision for the organization,” Handel writes.
From there, the situation went from bad to worse as Brinker, who Handel describes as politically "naive," tried to regain control of the message. Brinker tried to justify to the public why Planned Parenthood was cut off, and at first said it was because giving money to Planned Parenthood wasn't cost effective because their clinic did so little as far as breast cancer screening. They later changed their story and said it was because the abortion giant was under investigation and their new grant procedures precluded giving money to any organization that was under investigation. Komen leaders were then forced to explain how and why they were reinstating the grants.
The whole episode became a public relations nightmare, Handel said, adding that Komen was "outgunned and overwhelmed" by Planned Parenthood and its Democratic allies who quickly framed the charity's decision as being part of a conservative "war on women."
Handel left Komen a week later and decided to write a book about the affair. Published by Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, it promises to contain plenty of ammunition for Planned Parenthood foes. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
