Not government. A bunch of physics professors who are already sucking on the government tit. To the tune of $250 Billion.
Those physics professors are smart people who read stories like this about elderly scientists making cold fusion claims they can't back up. They don't want to see money wasted on cranks and a pathological science. It's not a conspiracy. It's sound judgement.
Well, that deadline passed ~ now they're into a scam aren't they?