Judge OKs legality of California's $3 billion stem cell institute

AP ^ | 4/21/6 | PAUL ELIAS

[SmithL]

San Francisco -- California's novel, $3 billion stem cell research institute is a legitimate state agency and two lawsuits challenging its constitutionality have no merit, a state judge ruled Friday.

The ruling came a month after a four-day trial in which lawyers with connections to anti-abortion groups claimed the country's most ambitious stem cell research agency violated California law because it wasn't a true state agency and its managers had a host of conflicts of interest.

But Alameda County Superior Court Judge Bonnie Lewman Sabraw handed the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine an unambiguous victory, writing that the lawsuits failed to show the voter-approved law that created the agency in 2004, "is clearly, positively and unmistakably unconstitutional."

[muawiyah]

Whether or not that law is unconstitutional, the fact is the research into embryonic stemcells is a demonstrable scam ~ as the Koreans already found out.

This judge probably has his hand out somewhere for part of the largess.

[NormsRevenge]

Judge Sabraw was appointed to the office of Superior Court Judge in July 1993 by Governor Pete Wilson and ran unopposed for election in 1994 and 2000.

Prior to her elevation to the office of Judge of the Superior Court, Judge Sabraw was appointed to the office of Judge for the Municipal Court, San Leandro-Hayward Judicial District, Alameda County, by Governor Deukmejian on August 25, 1988.

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fwiw

[TheDon]

All right!!! Let's start chopping up those babies!

[newzjunkey]

I don't think pointing to Korean's failure with fraudulent stem cell research is a winning point.

[muawiyah]

Sure it is. The Korean "Dr. Kwak" had American partners ~ famous scientists ~ some of whom backed him as vigorously as they backed this California idea.

It focuses on "embryonic stem cells" anyway, not just "stem cells".

You would be well advised to use the highly precise terms that have become commonly used on FR when it comes to this topic so people won't have to keep correcting your usage or asking you which kind of stem cells you are talking about.

[Seaplaner]

Mua, you said...the fact is the research into embryonic stemcells is a demonstrable scam ~ as the Koreans already found out.

And, I agree.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a ballot initiative to overturn the 2004 $3 billion ballot initiative, as the latter was based, at least partly, on bogus Korean research.

As a California tax payer, I think we should put the money into something with a forseeable payback.

Cold fusion comes to mind.

.

[muawiyah]

The Korean research program included many American researchers who testified in support of the California initiative.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some people go to jail before this is over.