NEW YORK (AP) - Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the renowned breast-cancer charity, is facing an escalating backlash over its decision to halt breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood. Some of Komen's local affiliates are openly troubled, and at least one top official has quit, reportedly in protest.
Komen has been deluged with negative emails and Facebook postings since news broke Tuesday that it was halting most of the grants - they totaled $680,000 last year - that Planned Parenthood affiliates used for breast exams.
In their first news conference since the cutoff was reported, Komen's leaders denied Planned Parenthood's assertion that the decision was driven by politics and pressure from anti-abortion groups.
"We don't base our decisions on whether one side or the other will be pleased," said Komen CEO Nancy Brinker.
