Posted on 12/21/2004 9:55:41 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Robert Klein might not have all the answers when it comes to stem cell research; he can’t guarantee the timely production of any cures or miraculous treatments. He can’t guarantee that stem cells will yield anything positive.
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The Palo Alto millionaire has a 14-year-old son, Jordan, who suffers from juvenile diabetes. Hoping stem cell research could produce a cure, Klein sunk $3 million of personal money into Proposition 71, and spearheaded the initiative’s fund raising drive. Klein ultimately raised $25 million to support the proposition to squash the opposition.
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Klein was the only nominee for the position, having secured endorsements from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, Treasurer Phil Angelides, and Controller Steve Westly. Serving a six-year term, Klein will lead the board through the end of the decade and oversee the allocation of the first $1.8 billion of stem cell research grants.
But, Klein also has his detractors, who claim the real estate magnate is not qualified to lead the new state agency.
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Representatives of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights joined Halpern in his criticism, alleging the board is “rife” with conflicts of interest. The foundation claims Klein donated heavily to the men who nominated him to chair the committee. According to the foundation’s records, Klein gave $52,400 to Bustamante, $27,695 to Westly and $19,425.48 to Angelides.
“The public health value of stem cell research could be significantly compromised by the web of conflicts between committee members and the companies that stand to profit from research grants,” said Jerry Flanagan, representative of the foundation. “The concern is that research grants will be given on the basis of personal relationship and financial interest and not in the best interest of California patients.”
(Excerpt) Read more at sacunion.com ...
Public/private partnerships, like the one Klein has been appointed to head, have only one purpose. To loot the public treasury. These "partnerships" are corrupt, and get more corrupt the longer they exist.
Poor deluded fool. The pro-abortion forces decided that this "issue" would be the best way to salvage the image of abortion, so they hyped and exaggerated the benefits of embryonic stem-cell research while systematically downplaying the benefits of other kinds of stem-cell research, which led this man and many others into thinking they should support this crusade.
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