Romney Appoints Non-Scientist To Stem-Cell Board
Mitt Romney, who's trying to cast himself as the true conservative alternative to John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, has appointed a little-known budget planner with zero science experience to a state board which doles out funding for stem-cell research and other biotech initiatives, the Associated Press reports. Romney's pick, Aaron D'Ella, was given the job of executive director for the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center at a salary of $125,000 a year, and no search for better-qualified candidates was undertaken. Though D'Ella supports research using embryos left over from fertility treatments, he opposes embryonic cloning, and his appointment was opposed by the president of the University of Massachusetts, as well as Dem Governor-Elect Deval Patrick.
Perhaps incoming Governor Patrick can just ask for this guy's resignation in January?
Don't most states require that political appointees tender their resignations when a new Governor is elected (regardless of party)? It is then up to the incoming administration to accept or reject the resignations.
December 1, 2006 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
A race to the bottom between him and mccain. Guess he doesn't understand that the vast vast vast vast vast vast vast....VAST majority of the xtianist riech will never vote for a cultist like him.
December 1, 2006 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm in Boston. Nice to see Mitt undertaking all the same malfeasance that he railed against when he ran. Makes you thankful that Kerry Healey didn't win.
I'm sure if Governor Patrick tries to fire/terminate the heretic will get some sort of double awesome retirement package set up in the contract. I say if they get paid anything, you mkae them work for it...like standing in a closet all day holding a box of embryos.
December 1, 2006 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the Globe's article on the same topic.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/articles/2006/12/01/patrick_objects_as_romney_fills_a_key_slot/
It sounds like Gov.-elect Patrick was NOT happy about this appointment.
It just reeks of patronage. This is Romney's second high-profile recent patronage appointment. He tried to appoint his chief bully, Eric Fehrnstrom, to the Brookline Housing Authority, which coincidentally is suing the state. The appointment would have given Fehrnstrom a big pension, but he resigned once it came to light.
December 1, 2006 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
It shouldn't take long for Massachusetts life sciences' business and research organizations to get this reversed if this guy isn't going to be effective in his job.
Life sciences are too important to commonwealth economic development and the big players have no reason to stand for a bad decision.
December 1, 2006 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, don't go crazy here, folks. There are science positions which are just administrative. This is probably one of those. Someone has to ensure that the checks are cut on time, the staff hired correctly, etc.
Executive director positions are often just administrative.
Many scientists have no expertise at administrative matters.
December 1, 2006 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this position is on one of those independent boards, that once appointed by the Governor, are generally out of his control, much like MassPort and MassPike. They usually hope that their apointees are sufficiently of like mind and beholden to them that they vote appropriately'.
December 1, 2006 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go back and read the article.
The man is 35 years old, has no science background and he's going to be running a scientific research institution located in one of the world's premier regions for scientific research. This isn't an Adminstrative Assistant position.
If this were say a hospital, it wouldn't make sense to hire a person who'd never worked in health care, and if were a factory it wouldn't make sense to hire a guy who'd never worked in a manufacturing plant. The man really ought to be evaluated agianst the pool of local talent qualified and avialable to fill a position like this. Do you really think organizations like say MIT or Boston Scientific would hire this guy to be an Executive Director of anything beyond Mail Delivery Services?
-Dave Adams-
December 1, 2006 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe PR, because scientists generally do lousy PR.
December 2, 2006 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dave Adams makes a good point, and in a region that has MIT and Boston Scientific, we could have found many better people for the job.
December 4, 2006 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe PR, because scientists generally do lousy PR.
PR? Fine.
But appointing a PR person to head a Scientific Institute makes about as much sense as hiring in a Scientist to run a PR firm.
-Dave Adams-
December 8, 2006 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
...and I am not disagreeing with you, but the needs of the at the top of anything are generally PR and administrative.
December 11, 2006 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink