Tuesday, February 7, 2012

An executive with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity has resigned after a dispute over funding for Planned Parenthood. The resignation came in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

Karen Handel announced her resignation as vice president for public policy in a letter to Komen officials Tuesday.

Handel said in her letter that she had supported cutting off funding for Planned Parenthood.

Handel, a former Republican candidate for governor in Georgia, emphasized her opposition to abortion during her 2010 campaign.

Komen announced last week that it had adopted criteria excluding Planned Parenthood from future grants for breast-cancer screenings
because it was under government investigation. It cited a probe launched by a congressman at the urging of anti-abortion groups.

The charity reversed that decision days later.