Some people we know quite well have earned (as opposed to honorary) PhD degrees from highly regarded universities. They feel that as “scientists” they are entitled to whatever funding they would want/like from the government agencies. These intellectual types believe that what they do (and by extension, what they think) are the most important things happening/possible.
The stuff that they manage to charge to the grants that they have received would upset a lot of normal people. It is a strange world in which we live.
This is a shame. Scripps is one of the very best research institutes in the world. They are always cutting edge in the areas they work.