July was not a good month for the former CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. And I am not taking about Cecile Richards. No. I am referring to Leana Wen who after suffering a miscarriage early in July, also suffered a job loss when on July 16 the Planned Parenthood board of directors showed her the door after only eight months on the job. Wen replaced Cecile Richards who after 12 years retired as president in April 2018, whose tenure was marred by scandal that Planned Parenthood abortion centers trafficked in the procurement and sale of aborted baby body parts thanks to the 2015 release of Center for Medical Progress undercover videos.
Wen came to Planned Parenthood in September 2018 after distinguishing herself as Baltimore, Maryland’s health commissioner. The fact that she was a licensed M.D. many believed was a deliberate signal that Planned Parenthood sought to emphasize its mission as a provider of women’s health care. The organization has not had a physician-president in nearly 50 years. Nonetheless any cursory glance at the numerous media commentary on the Wen ouster immediately reveals that Wen and the board of directors had serious “philosophical differences.”
