CPRIT Foundation: Names are coming out of the hiding...

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20130111-dallas-nonprofit-among-donors-to-embattled-texas-cancer-fighting-agency-s-foundation.ece

The CPRIT Foundation released the donor list to state legislators and other officials who have raised questions whether the foundation was used as a “pay-to-play” vehicle for the state agency. CPRIT and officials of the foundation have rejected that charge.
A rider inserted into the state appropriations bill in 2009 says “an individual, an organization, or an employee, officer or director of an organization that makes a contribution to the CPRIT Foundation” is not eligible to receive grants from the agency. Ellen Read, a CPRIT spokesman, said that provision would prohibit any grants to the Crowley Cancer Foundation itself.
The CPRIT Foundation also disclosed that Shanahan is among several individuals and companies to which it issued refunds “in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety.” A $1,000 donation from Shanahan was refunded because he is “affiliated with Gradalis,” said Marc Palazzo, a CPRIT Foundation spokesman.
Glenn Smith, director of the liberal advocacy group Progress Texas Political Action Committee, said the problem with the CPRIT Foundation, which had not released its donor list until Thursday, is that “it’s a way to buy the favor that you want from the state.”
The donor list shows, as The News reported in November, that Dallas philanthropist Peter O’Donnell contributed $1.5 million to the CPRIT Foundation.
CPRIT confirmed in November that it awarded $11 million in June 2010 to a Dallas biotechnology firm, Peloton Therapeutics, without the required review of business or science experts.
O’Donnell has said he invested in Peloton in July 2011, more than a year after the CPRIT Oversight Committee ratified the award. He said he purchased 900,000 shares of Peloton stock and donated all of his shares, as well as his right to future shares, to UT Southwestern Medical Center in December 2011.
O’Donnell and his wife have contributed more than $240,000 to Perry’s state campaigns since 2000 and about $200,000 to Dewhurst’s, according to the Texas Ethics Commission.