CPRIT Foundation Releases List of Donors
Hoping to increase transparency, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Foundation — a nonprofit that supplements the salaries of the executive director and chief scientist of the state’s beleaguered $3 billion cancer research agency — released a full list of its donors on Thursday.
"In light of recent developments associated with the institute, we believe it is appropriate to make this information publicly available at this time," Marc Palazzo, the foundation's spokesman, said in a statement.
Many donations to the foundation, revealed in the list released Thursday, came from people with close ties to CPRIT. James “Jimmy” Mansour ...
Comments (2)
Pickles Sorrell
Omigod.
There appears to me to be up to $1.5 million in funds from pharmaceuticals or foundations tied to institutions that have or may seek research funds, or companies that may well seek funds for the "commercialization" of a drug (don't get me started on that, I'll save my ranting on that for another day).
And the O'Donnell Foundation? Hard to believe they don't give hoping to to move money towards University of Texas applications for money. Isn't Peter O'Donnell one of UT's largest donors ever?
And what about the individuals donating? How many of them have a conflict, investment or otherwise in a company seeking funds for "commercialization of one of their drugs or do work for one of those companies?
Anybody who thinks this money was donated out of the goodness of people's hearts or because they are just "good Texans who want to cure cancer" ought to have their heads examined.
The very notion that a public salaried employee should have their salary supplemented is absurd and it is asking for scandal - especially when they oversee giving away $3 billion in public funds.
This stinks, this stinks, this stinks and the Legislature should shut it down. Rosemary Lemberg where are you? TIme to go to work and clean up the foul, foul mess at CPRIT.
Jim Vance
"Pay to play" donations revealed in a system of "go along and get along to get ahead" where "money talks, and bull$*** walks" and you better "dance with them that brung ya" or you get shut out with no access to the slush fund kitty....