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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,063 posts)
Thu Apr 29, 2021, 12:54 PM Apr 2021

Democrats, Republicans press Biden's top scientist on gender, race and Epstein connection

Source: Politico

President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the White House’s top technology office pledged Thursday to advance equity and diversity in science, amid mounting concerns from both Republicans and Democrats about his record on race and gender issues and his past meetings with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Eric Lander, Biden’s pick for director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, said during a nomination hearing that he would “make full inclusion and equitable outcomes a high priority” for the office, including “ensuring that OSTP staff will look like America.” And he sought to assuage concerns about gatherings he and other scientists attended in 2012 with Epstein, whom he said he chose to have “no association” with.

“The sum total of my interactions was that I met him briefly at two events within the span of three weeks in the spring of 2012,” Lander said during a hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee, adding he wasn’t aware of the wealthy financier's “sordid history” at the time. Epstein had been a convicted sex offender since 2008.

-snip-

"The Epstein connection is of tremendous concern to us," Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said at Thursday's hearing.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-republicans-press-bidens-top-scientist-on-gender-race-and-epstein-connection/ar-BB1gbHSC?li=BBnb7Kz



But Trump's association with Epstein was just fine and dandy with you.
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Democrats, Republicans press Biden's top scientist on gender, race and Epstein connection (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 2021 OP
"But Trump's association with Epstein was just fine and dandy with you." Budi Apr 2021 #1
Yeah EndlessWire Apr 2021 #7
Blackburn now speaks for everyone? "...tremendous concern to us..." George II Apr 2021 #2
Just Susan Collins. stillcool Apr 2021 #3
He had a bit of controversy in early 2016 NullTuples Apr 2021 #4
It's not a good look rpannier Apr 2021 #5
Wrong! artemisia1 Apr 2021 #6

EndlessWire

(6,373 posts)
7. Yeah
Fri Apr 30, 2021, 03:00 AM
Apr 2021

I want to hear them admit that Trump was a friend and got a participation trophy at least once. Hypocrites.

George II

(67,782 posts)
2. Blackburn now speaks for everyone? "...tremendous concern to us..."
Thu Apr 29, 2021, 01:25 PM
Apr 2021

As you say, trump's association isn't of "tremendous concern to us" (her).

NullTuples

(6,017 posts)
4. He had a bit of controversy in early 2016
Thu Apr 29, 2021, 07:05 PM
Apr 2021

...surrounding undisclosed conflicts of interest when he published an essay that also erased the importance of the work of two women who worked on CRISPR.

Details:
https://www.statnews.com/2016/01/25/why-eric-lander-morphed/

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
5. It's not a good look
Thu Apr 29, 2021, 09:56 PM
Apr 2021

Though I don't think Blackburn is the one to be raising it

on edit: This is troubling

Both the top Democrat and top Republican on the panel have expressed concern about Lander’s nomination due to his interactions with Epstein, POLITICO has reported, while other lawmakers have questioned his past treatment of fellow female scientists and his embrace of a notable biologist accused of espousing racist and sexist views.
snip
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), the first Thai American woman elected to Congress, said she is “troubled” about those incidents, as well as allegations Lander has downplayed the role female scientists played in developing breakthrough genetics technology.

artemisia1

(756 posts)
6. Wrong!
Thu Apr 29, 2021, 10:08 PM
Apr 2021

"The Epstein connection is of tremendous concern to us," Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said at Thursday's hearing.

You mean, "The Democratic Party connection is of tremendous concern to us,", don't you, Senator?

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