Understatement: 'Why Sara hates Laredo' video annoys Laredo

"This town sucks, and thank God I was not born here or raised here 'cause I would probably be dead by now."

That was the opening salvo from Sara Wells' roughly 8-minute video, "Why Sara hates Laredo," posted earlier this month on YouTube. The video, which appears to have been shot at home with Walls speaking directly to the camera, did not go unnoticed.

Walls, a Colorado native, explains at the start of the video that she moved to the Texas border city of about 230,000 people a year and a half ago, after her husband was transferred there for work. She then begins to rail against Laredo's Latino drivers, crime and life on the border.

"Half the people driving around have Mexican plates and don't know American laws," the young mother says. In the video, Walls wears a hoodie and dangling earrings -- her brown hair pulled back -- with what appears to be a wall of windows and family photos in the background.

Walls, who is white, says in the video that she's encountered "illegal Mexicans" in her backyard three times since moving to Laredo and that half the people in town don't speak English. She bases the statement, she says, on interactions she's had while driving to, among other places, Wal-Mart.

"The Mexican men here are disgusting," she says, and goes on to complain about being hit on. She also has a few things to say about Mexican moms covering their children's cavities with gold caps and feeding babies Pepsi. She even condemns menudo, a traditional Mexican soup, and the annual Laredo menudo festival.

"I have a list of bad stuff I hate about Laredo, that's how much I hate it," Walls says, glancing down to consult the list. "The whole town is really ghetto, sketchy, scary, unsafe."

"I pray to God that my husband can transfer out of here."

The video ends with Walls casually mentioning that she anticipates negative comments from "haters," but promising to read their comments nonetheless.

"I'm a white girl. How do they say it? They call me guera, gringo," she says. "I was never prejudiced against Mexicans until I moved to this town. So thank you, Laredo, for giving good Mexicans a bad name."

Walls grossly underestimated the potential effect of her video rant.

Overwhelmed by hundreds of negative comments and threats, she removed the video only to later see it posted again by critics, garnering more than 24,000 views and nearly 500 comments as of Friday. Viewers vented their anger on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, prompting a CNN ireport that fanned the flames.

"Get a life. Get a job and stop leeching off our Laredo economy and go back to Colorado," one critic wrote, adding, "By the way Colorado is a Spanish word that means red."

"I have blonde hair, green eyes and im not from here either but i love it here. This chick is stupid!" wrote another.

"Everyone should gather a ton of menudo and dump it on her garden at night," someone suggested.

Soon after, a photo of what appears to be Sara Walls menudo mix was uploaded online.

Earlier this week, Walls' husband came forward to apologize on her behalf, but that failed to contain the controversy.

Michael Walls told Laredo's Pro8 News that his wife struggled with being away from her hometown and adjusting to a very different culture. After she posted the video, he said, he and his kids saw the community turn not just on her, but on them too.

"I'm just sincerely sorry and if there is anything I can do to make it right I mean I would but I didn't do it. So I'm apologizing for my family," Walls said on Monday. He added that the family has moved away from Laredo and has no plans to return.

But the apology didn't satisfy Laredoans outraged by the video, many of whom posted send-up videos of their own on YouTube, including an LMFAO remix, Why Laredo hates Colorado and Sara hates menudo, which dubbed Walls "the meanest whitey you'll ever meet."

The outraged included Laredo's mayor, who spoke out against the video the same days Walls' husband apologized.

"The city of Laredo has been offended," Mayor Raul G. Salinas told KGNS TV.

The mayor made a suggestion of what might help, besides apologizing: He invited Sara Walls to come see him at his office "to talk about the city of Laredo."

He said the video was "not fair to the people of Laredo" and claimed "the monster of racism has awoken."

"On YouTube, Facebook you can say whatever you want, but it does not give you the right to be destroying a great city and speaking ill of our culture and our people," he said, "Just because we happen to be bilingual is not a bad thing. It's a good thing."

The mayor went on to praise the local university and schools, tout the upcoming baseball stadium, golf course and the fact that local unemployment is at 7.2%.

"She's totally wrong," he said, "Laredo is numero uno."

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'Josh Powell was really, really evil,' social worker says

Josh Powell may have tried to end it all when he killed his two young sons and himself in a gasoline-fueled inferno Sunday in Washington state. But his actions have unleashed a new round of investigations, allegations and recriminations as authorities try to unravel a family saga that began long before Powell's wife, Susan, disappeared in Utah in 2009.

With law enforcement officials and the court system facing allegations that they failed to recognize the danger that Powell posed to his children, Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5, the case continues to unfold on several fronts:

--Disturbing new details have emerged about "incestuous" sexual drawings discovered on Powell's computer, dating back to when he still lived in Utah, before moving to Washington state, according to the Associated Press.

The images led a court-appointed psychologist to call for Powell to submit to a psycho-sexual evaluation and a polygraph test, tests that a judge approved last week when denying Powell's request to regain full custody of his children. Powell was said to be devastated by the judge's ruling, and it may have been the trigger for his deadly actions.

The discovery of the disturbing images, however, was not made known to all the parties in the case, including the attorney for the children's maternal grandparents, who could have used the images as grounds to bar Powell from having any access to the boys.

--The investigation into Susan Powell's disappearance is taking on new urgency and led authorities this week to rope off a portion of a recycling center in Graham, Wash. They were following up on a tip that Josh Powell had discarded some paper there shortly before he set his home on fire, the News Tribune of Tacoma reported.

Authorities in Utah have also reported a new flood of tips coming in about Susan Powell's disappearance.

--Washington state Sen. Pam Roach told the Salt Lake City Tribune it was "outrageous" for a judge to give Powell visitation with his sons, and wants to know precisely what the Washington agency in charge of child welfare knew and when officials knew it. She has sent a public records request to Washington's Department of Social and Health Services.

"This material should be made public," she told the newspaper. Her district includes the Graham, Wash., home where Powell killed the children.

--The case worker who was escorting the children for a court-mandated supervised visit with their father said that Powell coaxed the children into the house on Sunday by saying "I've got a big surprise for you!" and then slammed the door on her to keep her from entering.

The worker, Elizabeth Griffin-Hall, told ABC News about those final, frightening moments -- and her realization that Powell was setting the house on fire with all inside. "How this happened is that Josh Powell was really, really evil. I couldn't have stopped him," she said.

--In a bid to understand what may have been driving Josh Powell long before Sunday's inferno, the Salt Lake City Tribune unearthed Washington state records relating to the bitter divorce of Powell's parents. The documents portray a dysfunctional family ruled by father Stephen Powell, who allegedly abused his wife and children -- emotionally, physically and verbally -- and whose penchant for porn contributed to his divorce. The documents also portray Josh Powell as an emotionally disturbed teen who killed family pets, threatened his mother with a butcher knife and attempted suicide.

--Finally, Chuck and Judy Cox, the parents of Susan Powell and the grandparents of the boys killed in the fire, are pleading with protesters and counter-protesters to stay away from Saturday's scheduled funeral for the boys.

The Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas, known for its extremist views, announced plans to protest at the funeral as a way of targeting Washington state's pending bill to allow same-sex marriages. Several other groups, including Occupy Seattle, said they plan to counter-protest. But a pastor speaking on behalf of the Coxes told the News Tribune that they want all protesters to stay away.

"They want this to be about the kids," Rev. Dean Curry said, and free of protests and counter-protests, "even if on the surface, the aims are more noble."

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Photo: Alex Ramirez, 17, brings a balloon to a memorial to Charlie and Braden Powell, erected outside the Carson Elementary School in Puyallup, Wash., where Charlie attended school. Credit: Ted S. Warren / Associated Press

 

 

Josh Powell sons' funeral: It's Westboro church vs. the public

Westboro Baptist Church, which has gained widespread notoriety for publicly opposing homosexuality -- most notably by picketing military funerals, has a new target. Its members will protest outside Saturday's funeral services for the two young sons of Josh Powell, who struck the boys with a hatchet before killing them and himself in a gasoline-fueled inferno.

That announcement was immediately met with howls of outrage and plans for counterprotests.

A new Facebook campaign, "Keep Westboro Church away from Powell Memorial," was launched to encourage the public to "go out in full force to help create a buffer so this memorial can take place peacefully” in Tacoma, Wash. Occupy Seattle also plans a counterprotest to protect the boys' grief-stricken relatives from Westboro's hate-filled message.

Margie Phelps, the daughter of the founder of the Kansas-based church reviled by many for its extremist views, took to Twitter to confirm the funeral protest plans, calling the area where the deaths happened "God's cursed WA-serial-killer-capitol of world" and labeling "beautiful" the headline "Westboro BaptChurch to protest Powell boys' funeral."

Phelps also suggests that blame for the boys' deaths lies with Gov. Christine Gregoire, who is poised to sign a bill approving same-sex marriage: "This is why God's cursed you w Josh Powells blowing up kids," she tweeted, and then pointed to a headline about the pending legal action.

News of the church plans were immediately followed by Occupy Seattle's plans to counterprotest: "Westboro Baptist Church will B picketing a tragic funeral #OccupySeattle will B gathering 2 shield mourners from them," the movement tweeted.

A memorial service for the boys is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Life Center Church in Tacoma, according to the News Tribune of Tacoma.

Josh Powell, believed to be the main suspect in the 2009 disappearance of his wife, Susan, locked himself in his Graham, Wash., home Sunday with his two young sons during what was supposed to be a court-mandated, supervised visit. He took an ax to the boys and then killed them all in a gasoline-fueled explosion.

The Kansas church has made plenty of headlines over the years with its protests, but this latest endeavor seems to have resonated -- and not in a way likely to garner support.

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-- Rene Lynch
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Photo: Members of Westboro Baptist Church routinely picket military funerals because they say U.S. soldiers are dying because the country is too tolerant of homosexuality. Credit: Jed Kirschbaum / Baltimore Sun

Super Bowl 'bird': Angry parents' group demands NBC use tape delay

The Parents Television Council, an advocacy group concerned about what kids see on TV, has launched an on-line petition targeting NBC for M.I.A.'s apparent curse word and vulgar gesture; both came during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show featuring Madonna and other performers.

The advocacy group's petition demands, among other things, that: "NBC put all future live broadcasts on an adequate tape delay and to hold on-air talent accountable for their actions during live broadcasts."

Melissa Henson, the council's spokeswoman, told The Times that she wants other broadcasters to abide by the rules too. But she noted that both ABC and CBS have gone to great lengths to create safeguards  -- such as a time delay -- to help prevent such vulgarities from reaching home audiences, especially young viewers.

About eight minutes into Madonna's half-time act at Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI, British sensation M.I.A. appeared to curse, saying, "I don't give a … ." It's difficult to hear her clearly on the video. But what came next was much clearer: She flipped her middle finger to the more than 110 million American viewers. 

The L.A.-based Parents Television Council says sports leagues and networks can no longer pretend they've been caught off guard by vulgarities or that they're ill-prepared for misbehaving celebrities. That grace period expired long ago with Nipplegate -- the now-infamous 2004 halftime show featuring Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Janet Jackson's nipple.

Given that history, the group says, NBC should have been ready. "If NBC had procedures in place, adequately trained staff, a reasonable time delay, and a commitment to preventing inappropriate content from airing during live broadcasts, the entire incident could have been avoided," the group says in an e-mail blast via its newsletter.

Henson said the Parents Television Council is particularly irritated with NBC given that the network has found itself in this situation before. (Examples: Bono dropping the F-bomb during the 2003 Golden Globes, and -- do not click the following links if you are easily offended -- both Tiki Barber and Jane Fonda dropping the C-word on audiences.)

In the years since Nipplegate, the Super Bowl has tried to play it safe with artists unlikely to run afoul of good taste. But Henson said that "it was a bit naïve on the part of the NFL to believe that this particular slate of artists would deliver a squeaky clean halftime show. But ultimately NBC is the one that licenses the airways."

Henson said the blast went to subscribers, which number between 80,000-100,000. She said the missive went out last night, and that it isn't yet known how many on-line signatures have been collected. The petition, and signatures, will be presented to NBC.

A spokesman for NBC could not be reached before this story was posted.

NBC and the NFL have apologized for the Super Bowl fallout. But the Parents Television Council says that isn't good enough; it wants those responsible to be held "accountable." The Federal Communications Commission, which stepped in after Nipplegate and fined CBS, said this week that it has no comment at this time about on Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.

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Photo: MIA performs at the Super Bowl halftime show. Credit: David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Clint Eastwood: Super Bowl ad aimed at Americans, not politicians

Unless you were taking a Super Bowl beer break at the time, you saw the ad -- the only Super Bowl ad, it seems that mattered: Gravely voiced, squinty-eyed Clint Eastwood giving Americans the pep talk of their lives. Since then, politicians on both sides of the aisle have been howling or crowing about subliminal political messages they believe to be embedded in the Chrysler ad and what they might mean for the November election.

Well, Eastwood himself is now weighing in, telling both sides to give it a rest. There was "no spin" or selling intended in that ad, no politics, no subliminal message, no endorsements. It was simply meant to inspire Americans to do what they do best -- get back in the game, no excuses, just get back in the game.

"This country can't be knocked out with one punch," Eastwood says in the ad. "We get right back up again and, when we do, the world is gonna hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it's halftime America, and the second half is about to begin."

Eastwood, a well-known Republican, Fox TV watcher and acquaintance of Bill O'Reilly, issued an exclusive statement to Fox's "O’Reilly Factor" producer Ron Mitchell. Here is the statement:

"I just want to say that the spin stops with you guys, and there is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain. I am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK. I am not supporting any politician at this time. Chrysler to their credit didn’t even have cars in the ad. Anything they gave me for it went for charity. If any Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it."

Now, far be it from us to argue with Dirty Harry. We'll take him at his word, especially since he seems to be inviting both sides to invoke the ad if it suits their political needs -- that's about as bipartisan as you can get in an election year.

Still, it's fascinating to see how both sides are parsing the imagery, the timing, the sponsor and, of course, Eastwood's language for hints of partisanship or even whether this is a big "Thank You" ad from Chrysler to American people, and, of course, President Obama, for the tax-funded bailout.

If you were indeed taking a beer break during the Super Bowl and missed the ad, watch it for yourself, above. And then watch the O'Reilly's segment, below, which includes interesting takes on why both sides are eager to dissect the ad's subliminal symbolism.

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Super Bowl 2012 fallout: Does M.I.A. owe Madonna and Kelly Clarkson an apology?

-- Rene Lynch

Does M.I.A. owe Kelly Clarkson and Madonna an apology?

M.I.A.'s bad behavior during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show is dominating online chatter Monday, overshadowing what many say is Kelly Clarkson's stellar rendition of the national anthem.

The ensuing fallout has upstaged Clarkson's performance and Madonna's pageantry with a barrage of questions, among them: Who is to blame? Why didn't NBC catch it in time? Did the NFL try to head off controversy by requiring the artists to sign a decency contract? And if not, why didn't it? Will the vulgarity result in a fine?

Madonna is sure to reap publicity out of the controversy for her new single. Snippets of her halftime performance featuring "Give Me All Your Luvin'" and the flipped bird are getting nonstop attention.

But it's Clarkson who appears to have earned overwhelming kudos.

Clarkson, who was barely recognizable in her new Cleopatra-style hairdo, delivered a pitch-perfect performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to kick off Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

According to a CBS news poll, more than 88% of respondents said she "rocked it!"

The reviews on Twitter were near-universal in their praise: "Hands down best ever." "OUTSTANDING! Man, that girl can SING!!" "@Kelly_Clarkson nails National Anthem." "THE best national anthem of all time."

And like any good performer, she left the audience wanting more.

Social media sharing site Add This said on Twitter: "We saw a 4300% spike in searches for @kelly_clarkson when she sang the National Anthem tonight! #superbowl"

Clarkson managed to put her own unique spin on a song that is notoriously difficult to sing. In doing so, the first "American Idol" winner set a new standard that has bedeviled so many artists over the years. (Most recently, Steven Tyler.)

"The Star-Spangled Banner" requires a dramatic range of a full octave and a half, which can be a feat for even the most accomplished singers.

Then, there's the tricky wording courtesy of the fact that the anthem didn't start out as a song. It began life as a poem written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 titled "Defense of Fort McHenry." It was turned into a song by adding the somewhat modified tune of John Stafford Smith's "The Anacreontic Song," and then retitled. Congress proclaimed it the national anthem in 1931.

And it has been tripping up artists ever since.

Clarkson acknowledged being nervous beforehand. "Just finished rehearsing the anthem in Indy ... wow, I'm actually really nervous about singing at the Super Bowl ha!" she posted online. "Here's hoping I nail it and don't screw it up!"

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Parents blast NBC, NFL for 'enabling' M.I.A. gesture at Super Bowl

The Parents Television Council, an advocacy group concerned about what kids see on TV, is blasting NBC and the NFL for the vulgar gesture that came in the middle of Super Bowl XLVI halftime show featuring Madonna and other performers.

About eight minutes into Madonna's act, British sensation M.I.A. appeared to curse, saying, "I don't give a … ." But it's difficult to clearly hear her on the video. 

But what came next was much more clear: She flipped her middle finger to the more than 110 million American viewers. 

The L.A.-based Parents Television Council says the blame lies squarely with the National Football League and NBC for choosing a lineup of performers with a history of shocking and controversial behavior. Using sharp language, the council said: "Instead of preventing indecent material, they enabled it. M.I.A. used a middle finger shamelessly to bring controversial attention to herself, while effectively telling an audience filled with children, '... you.' "

PHOTOS: Super Bowl 2012

NBC and the NFL have apologized. But the PTC says that's not good enough and wants those responsible to be held "accountable." The statement released by PTC President Tim Winter doesn't specify what that means or who should be held repsonsible. We have asked the PTC for clarification.

Winter accused the NFL of lying to the public last week when it promised that the halftime show would be suitable for all audiences, a new standard ushered in following Janet Jackson's infamous Nipplegate in 2004.

And the council said that NBC failed in its obligations as well. The network should have been poised to blur the vulgarity and bleep it. NBC says it tried, but apparently it did not move quickly enough. (There was an attempt to blur the screen, but it came after the offensive gesture.)

Here is the full PTC statement from Winter:

NBC fumbled and the NFL lied because a performer known as M.I.A. felt it necessary to flip off millions of families. It is unfortunate that a spectacular sporting event was overshadowed once again by broadcasting the selfish acts of a desperate performer.

Last week the NFL formally told the PTC -- and the American public -- that the Super Bowl halftime show would be 'appropriate.' Most families would agree that the middle finger aimed directly at them is not appropriate, especially during the most-watched television event of the year.

The mechanism NBC had in place to catch this type of material completely failed, and the network cannot say it was caught off guard. It has been eight years since the Janet Jackson striptease, and both NBC and the NFL knew full well what might happen. They chose a lineup full of performers who have based their careers on shock, profanity and titillation. Instead of preventing indecent material, they enabled it. M.I.A. used a middle finger shamelessly to bring controversial attention to herself, while effectively telling an audience filled with children, '... you.'

A simple apology rings hollow after yet another slap in the face to families, especially when NBC has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that it should be allowed to air all manner of indecent material at any time of day, even when children are watching.  

Either the NFL and NBC will take immediate steps to hold those accountable for this offensive material in front of a hundred million Americans, or they will feebly sit back and do nothing. The nation -- and the PTC -- is watching.

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Photo: MIA performs at the Super Bowl halftime show. Credit: David J. Phillip / Associated Press

Super Bowl fallout: Will M.I.A.'s middle finger draw FCC fine?

 Madonna kept her promise -- there was no wardrobe malfunction during her Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. But America was shown the bird: British rapper M.I.A. gave the nation the middle finger during her solo performance.

Why? Her Twitter feed has been silent on the matter. But there's a bigger question afoot: Will NBC face a fine like CBS did after Janet Jackson's infamous slip during the 2004 Super Bowl hosted in Houston, Texas?

The nation howled, as parents tried to explain to children why Justin Timberlake ripped off Jackson's top...exposing a nipple encased in a sun-themed shield.

It became known as Nipplegate, and the flood of viewer complaints led the Federal Communications Commission to levy a record $550,000 fine against CBS, which aired the Super Bowl that year.

A phone call to the FCC was not returned by the time this story was posted online.

The NFL and NBC quickly apologized for the gesture and insisted that it was not a planned part of the show. Producers tried to blur the screen to cover it up, but it was too little too late.

In front of millions of viewers, M.I.A.  flipped the bird and appeared to sing, “I don’t give a..." although it was hard to hear what she said. (Judge for yourself: It happens at about 7:50 minutes into the above video.)

From the NFL:

"The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing and we apologize to our fans," said Brian McCarthy, spokesman for the NFL, told the Associated Press.

From NBC:

"The NFL hired the talent and produced the halftime show," NBC spokesman Christopher McCloskey told the news service. "Our system was late to obscure the inappropriate gesture and we apologize to our viewers."

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What time is Super Bowl 2012? (a.k.a. the Madonna show)

What time is Super Bowl 2012? In perhaps the ultimate sign of how much we rely on the Internet, that query is the No. 1 most searched-for term on Google today, and likely will be until the Super Bowl actually begins. So, let's get to it:

The Super Bowl 2012 kickoff is scheduled for 6:29 p.m. Eastern (3:29 Pacific) on NBC, pitting the New England Patriots against the New York Giants.

However, Super Bowl hoopla begins long before that. Pre-game coverage on NBC begins hours in advance. Official game coverage starts at 6 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Pacific) with player introductions, the coin toss and "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson performing the national anthem.

Need some Game Day appetizers? How about Giants vs. Patriots: How they stack up and this Super Bowl XLVI primer by Sam Farmer?

Channel Guide has a detailed breakdown of channel coverage. Want to skip all the sports and show up just for the half-time show? There's no set time for that. (That's what the DVR is for.)

Super Bowl 2012's half-time show features Madonna and Nicki Minaj. That much is certain. Less certain is who else will join her onstage. M.I.A. seemed to confirm an appearance. But other rumors abound, including whether Cee Lo Green will join. And what will Madonna sing? "Vogue," "Music" and "Ray of Light" seem to be in the running, according to MTV.

The new video for her football-and-pom-pom-themed new single "Give me all your luvin'" suggests that it could be in the playlist running as well.

Still looking for some Super Bowl 2012 recipes? You'll score with these appetizers from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen.

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Photo: The exterior of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where Super Bowl XLVI is being played. Credit: Rob Carr / Getty Images

Komen backlash: Public turns fury on vice president Karen Handel

The harsh social media spotlight cast on Susan G. Komen for the Cure is now shifting to Karen Handel, the organization's senior vice president for public policy and, some suspect, the architect behind the decision that has led to the worst public relations disaster in the organization's history.

Social media activists are calling out Handel by name and demanding that she be fired. "I won't trust anything SGK says until they fire Karen Handel," said one Facebook posting. The drumbeat on Twitter was growing as well, with versions of "Fire Karen Handel" making the rounds.

So who is Karen Handel?

Handel made history in 2006 when she became the first Republican and only the second woman to be elected as secretary of state in Georgia. She resigned that post in 2010 to launch a campaign to become her party's nominee for governor. Despite getting a high-profile endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Handel did not win the bid.

Such a life in the public eye makes for a public record, and critics are now using what they say are past  public statements from Handel to bolster their suspicions that she was the driving force behind Komen's decision to slash funding to Planned Parenthood.

Internet archivists say they have unearthed archival pages of the blog that Handel reportedly wrote -- the blog has since been taken offline -- while she was running for governor. In one posting, she reportedly promises to "be a pro-life governor," adding that "since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood."

And then there is this screen shot making the online rounds. It claims to show Karen Handel's Twitter account from earlier in the week, which suggests that she -- or perhaps someone with access to her Twitter account -- re-tweeted a comment slamming Planned Parenthood. That comment is no longer visible in Handel's Twitter feed.

The Komen foundation did not return a phone call or email asking to discuss Handel and what role, if any, she played in the controversial decision or the Tweet. And she has yet to comment publicly about the recent uproar.

Komen has long been under pressure by conservatives to cut ties with Planned Parenthood because it provides a variety of reproductive health care services, including abortions. Critics say Komen engineered the perfect out in 2011 when it revised its internal rules to bar the organization from funding another organization under an investigative cloud. The Atlantic notes that while Komen provides funding to hundreds of organizations, the new rule affected only one: Planned Parenthood.

The move turned out to be a public relations disaster for Komen and created a financial windfall for Planned Parenthood.

This morning, Komen announced that it was retreating from its position. That move triggered a new round of controversy, this time from anti-abortion activists who now accuse Komen of caving in to pro-choice pressure.

Not everyone, however, is convinced that Handel had any extraordinary role in the decision to pull Planned Parenthood's funding.

Komen's founder and chief executive, Nancy Brinker, said in an interview with MSNBC this week that Handel did not play a significant role in the policy change, according to the Associated Press.

And Gen Wilson, of Georgia Right To Life, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that her organization targeted Handel during her run to become Georgia's governor precisely because she failed to do enough to block Planned Parenthood. Handel helped manage federal and state grants to Planned Parenthood while sitting as a Fulton County commissioner, another position she held in Georgia.

"If Ms. Handel has been involved in this decision, we’d love to see some credible documentation of that. Unfortunately we have seen none," Wilson told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the inquiry that helped trigger the controversy shows no end in sight.

U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida, a Republican and anti-abortion advocate, started his own inquiry last September to determine whether Planned Parenthood uses any taxpayer funding to perform abortions. Planned Parenthood says it does not. Stearns says he needs proof and suggested in a statement that Planned Parenthood only has itself to blame for his inquiry. Such an inquiry is not a formal congressional investigation.

"Repeated cases of Planned Parenthood ignoring state and local reporting requirements, many involving minors, and allegations of financial abuse led to this investigation -- the first ever oversight conducted on this group," according to the statement released by his office. "We are still working with Planned Parenthood on getting the records and documents for the investigation, and I’m interested in holding a hearing depending on what the investigation discovers."

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File photo: Karen Handel waves to supporters during her unsuccessful big to become the Republican nominee for the governor's office in Georgia in 2010. Credit: John Bazemore/Associated Press