Moveon.org launched a campaign Wednesday against the “the world’s largest breast cancer organization” Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
“Susan G. Komen for the Cure just cut all its funding to Planned Parenthood for breast health screenings, bowing to anti-choice pressure and making breast health care suddenly inaccessible to many women,” the liberal group wrote in an email to supporters.
Komen announced Tuesday night that they will no longer be awarding the abortion provider Planned Parenthood with grants due to a new policy prohibiting Komen from giving to institutions under investigation by government bodies.
Planned Parenthood is currently facing a congressional investigation into whether taxpayer funds went toward abortions.
Komen insists the decision to end their grants to Planned Parenthood is not political.
“Grant making decisions are not about politics — our priority is and always will be the women we serve,” Komen wrote in a statement. “Making this issue political or leveraging it for fundraising purposes would be a disservice to women.”
Moveon.org, however, says there are definitely politics involved with the decision, pointing out that its new vice president of public policy, Karen Handel, pledged to defund Planned Parenthood during her 2010 gubernatorial run in Georgia.
“Komen has raised tons of money and awareness about breast cancer from people who care about women’s health,” Moveon.org emailed members. “They need to know that they’ve gone too far by joining the right-wing war on Planned Parenthood — which, let’s be honest, is really a war on women.”
Moveon.org is rallying its supporters to tell Komen that “we won’t stand for this kind of political posturing when real lives are at stake” and are circulating a petition to that effect.
According to Moveon.org, the petition, launched Wednesday, already has over 60,000 signatures and instructs Komen: “Don’t bow to anti-choice pressure. Reestablish breast health funding for Planned Parenthood affiliates.