Consumer group calls for investigation of stem-cell board member
The San Jose Mercury News (California)
A consumer group said Wednesday it has asked the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate a member of California’s stem-cell institute board who wrote the institute disputing a decision to deny one of his researchers a grant.
The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said John Reed, CEO of San Diego-based Burnham Institute, wrote the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in August saying it had erred in refusing a $638,000 grant to a Burnham researcher.
The agency’s rules prohibit board members from lobbying for grants affecting their organizations. Reed said Wednesday he didn’t realize at the time that his action was wrong.
