NEW TV AD
Davis Launches TV Ad Calling Out Greg Abbott
For Siding with Insiders, Donors At Expense Of
Texas Cancer Patients
WATCH: "Manuel"
"Manuel" Details How Greg Abbott Once Again Sided With Insiders,
Hurting Texans
Greg Abbott Was Charged With Overseeing Texas Cancer Research Fund
However, Without Proper Oversight, Abbott's Wealthiest Donors Got Tens
of Millions of Taxpayer Dollars Meant For Cancer Research...
...While Abbott Was Lavished With Gifts and Free Vacations
Fort Worth - The Wendy Davis campaign released its second television ad, "Manuel," in
which Manuel, a cancer survivor, details how Greg Abbott uses his office to help insiders
at the expense of Texans - even when they're cancer patients.
While serving on the oversight committee of the state's cancer research center (CPRIT),
Abbott allowed his donors - without proper oversight - to take ten of millions of dollars in
taxpayer money intended for cancer research while he was showered with lavish gifts and
free vacations.
"When you're battling cancer, you pray for a cure. But Greg Abbott did his best to keep
my prayers from being answered," Manuel says in the ad. "I pray that Greg Abbott never
becomes our Governor."
The ad ends: "Greg Abbott. Another insider who's just not working for us."
The ad is a significant buy running in multiple markets.
"Manuel"
SCRIPT
FACTS
MANUEL: When you're
battling cancer, you pray for a
cure. But Greg Abbott did his
best to keep my prayers from
being answered.
VO: Greg Abbott was charged Abbott Was On The Oversight Committee For
The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute Of
with overseeing the state
Texas. In May 2014, The Dallas Morning News
cancer research fund.
reported, "As attorney general, Abbott held a seat on
the oversight board for the Cancer Prevention and
SUPER: Greg Abbott
Research Institute of Texas." [The Dallas Morning
News, 5/06/14]
Oversight Committee Charged With Making
CPRIT's Final Grant Decisions. According to a
December 2012 editorial in the Austin American,
"Final grant decisions are made by CPRIT's 11member oversight committee. Nine of the committee's
members are appointed by the governor, lieutenant
governor and Texas House speaker." [Editorial,
Austin American-Statesman,12/22/12]
VO: But he let his wealthiest
donors take tens of millions in
taxpayer dollars...
SUPER: Abbott's donors got
tens of million of taxpayer
dollars
Texas Ethics Commission;
Dallas Morning News,
5/11/13; 3/28/14; 5/6/14
Abbott Accepted $130,000 In Contributions From
Early Financial Backer Of Peloton Therapeutics;
Company Received $11 Million Grant From
CPRIT. In May 2013, The Dallas Morning News
reported that Abbott had accepted $130,000 in
contributions from Peter O'Donnell, and that Peloton
Therapeutics, where O'Donnell was an early financial
backer, received an $11 million award from CPRIT.
[The Dallas Morning News,5/11/13]

Peloton Therapeutics' Grant From CPRIT
"Under-Went No Institutional Review
Whatsoever." The Houston Chronicle
reported that Peloton Therapeutics' award
from CPRIT "under-went no institutional
review whatsoever." [The Houston
Chronicle, 7/28/13]
 High-Ranking CRPIT Officer Was Indicted
Over Improper $11 Award To Peloton
Therapeutics. In December 2013, The Dallas
Morning News reported, "A former highranking official of Texas' cancer-fighting
agency has been indicted in connection with
an improperly awarded $11 million grant to a
Dallas-based biotechnology firm, prosecutors
announcedFriday. Jerald 'Jerry' Cobbs, 62, is
accused of deceiving officials of the Cancer
Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
when he failed to disclose that a grant to
Peloton Therapeutics did not undergo a
required business or scientific review." [The
Dallas Morning News,12/06/13]
Abbott Accepted $289,000 In Contributions From
Caliber Biotherapeutics' Investor; Company
Received $12 Million From CRPIT. According to
the Texas Ethics Commission, Abbott has accepted
$289,008 in contributions from James Leininger. The
Houston Chronicle reported, "Leininger's company,
Caliber Biotherapeutics, received $12 million" from
CPRIT. [Texas Ethics Commission; The Houston
Chronicle, 7/28/13]
Caliber Biotherapeutics
Received $12 Million
Grant From CPRIT "Despite Receiving Low
Scores From Reviewers." In July 2013, The
Houston Chronicle reported, "[James] Leininger's
company, Caliber Biotherapeutics, received $12
million from the cancer agency for a scientific
proposal despite receiving low scores from
reviewers." [Texas Ethics Commission; The Houston
Chronicle,7/28/13]
Abbott Accepted $10,000 In Contributions From
Board Members At Kalon Biotherapeutics;
Company Received $8 Million From
CPRIT. According to the Texas Ethics Commission,
Abbott accepted $5,000 from John White and $5,000
from E.J. Pederson. White is the Chairman of the
Board of Managers at Kalon Biotherapeutics, and
Pederson is a member of the board, according to the
company's website. The Dallas Morning News
reported that Kalon was awarded $8 million from
CPRIT. [Texas Ethics Commission; Kalon
Biotherapeutics website, John D. White & E.J. "Jere"
Pederson; The Dallas Morning News, 11/17/12]
 CPRIT's Chief Science Officer Objected To
$8 Million Grant To Kalon Biotherapeutics,
Said That Peer Review "Scores Are
Significantly Poorer Than Any That Have
Been Deemed Acceptable In The Past." In
June 2012, The Associated Press reported,
"[Dr. Alfred Gilman, CPRIT's chief science
officer] objected to the timing and worthiness
of a grant application from Kalon
Biotherapeutics, which received $8 million
from the agency in March... In a March
26 letter to agency leaders, Gilman criticized
funding a proposal he said received poor to
modest scores from peer review panels. 'These
scores are significantly poorer than any that
have been deemed acceptable in the past,'
Gilman wrote. 'Yet this proposal comes forth
now rather than, for example, a multiinvestigator research proposal that was
described as the best we have seen by one of
our research review committees and scored
accordingly.'" [AP, 6/01/12]
VO:...without proper
oversight.
SUPER: Abbott's donors got
tens of million of taxpayer
dollars
Texas Ethics Commission;
Dallas Morning News,
5/11/13; 3/28/14; 5/6/14
CPRIT "Came Under Fire Over Revelations That
Cancer Research Money Was Awarded Without
Proper Oversight." In June 2013, The Texas
Tribune reported, "One investigation launched by the
Public Integrity Unit involves the Cancer Prevention
and Research Institute of Texas, which came under
fire over revelations that cancer research money was
awarded without proper oversight." [The Texas
Tribune, 6/11/13]
State Auditor Found That CPRIT "Repeatedly
Failed To Follow Its Own Rules As It Handed Out
Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars." In January
2013, The Houston Chronicle reported, "[State]
Auditor John Keel's withering report also found that
the taxpayer-funded Cancer Prevention and Research
Institute of Texas repeatedly failed to follow its own
rules as it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars."
[The Houston Chronicle, 1/29/13]
Travis County's Public Integrity Unit Opened
Investigation Into CPRIT "Amid Reports That
The Agency Mismanaged Millions Of Dollars In
Taxpayer-Financed Grants Without The Required
Scientific & Business Reviews." According to a
March 2013 editorial in the Austin AmericanStatesman, "The Travis County District Attorney's
Public Integrity Unit has opened a criminal
investigation of the state's Cancer Prevention and
Research Institute of Texas amid reports that the
agency mismanaged millions of dollars in taxpayerfinanced grants without the required scientific and
business reviews." [Editorial, Austin AmericanStatesman, 3/03/13]
2012: More Than 30 Medical Specialists Resigned
From CPRIT, Complaining That Funds Were
Awarded Not Because Of Good Science, But
Because They Were Pushed By Politically
Connected Individuals.According to a December
2012 Fort Worth-Star Telegram editorial, "In
October, more than 30 medical specialists, including
two Nobel Prize winners, resigned from their
positions reviewing projects seeking grants from the
5-year-old agency. The reviewers complained that
some grants were being awarded not because they met
high peer-review standards for good science but
because they claimed to have commercial promise or
were pushed by politically connected individuals."
[Editorial, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12/06/12]
VO: They showered Abbott
with gifts and free vacations.
San Antonio Express-News: "Lavish gifts a perk
for Attorney General Greg Abbott" [Editorial, San
Antonio Express-News, 3/01/14]
SUPER: Lavish gifts a perk
for Attorney General Greg
Abbott.San Antonio Express
Abbott Accepted At Least Three Free Trips From
Recipient Of A $12 Million CPRIT Award. In
March 2014, the San Antonio Express-News reported,
News, 3/1/14
"Abbott and his family have been on the receiving
end of more than 30 personal gifts - many from highpowered donors and influential movers and shakers during his term as Texas' chief lawyer...[James]
Leininger...paid for Abbott and his family's travel and
accommodations on three separate occasions between
2008 and 2010, according to the filings." The
Houston Chronicle reported, "Leininger's company,
Caliber Biotherapeutics, received $12 million from
the cancer agency [CPRIT] for a scientific proposal
despite receiving low scores from reviewers." [San
Antonio Express News, 3/01/14; The Houston
Chronicle, 7/28/13]
VO: And they made off with
money that was meant to find
a cure. I pray that Greg Abbott
never becomes our Governor.
The Houston Chronicle: Some Of CPRIT's "Most
Questionable Grants Went To Companies
Affiliated With Some Of Abbott's Major
Donors." In July 2013, The Houston Chronicle
reported "some of the [cancer] agency's most
questionable grants went to companies affiliated with
some of Abbott's major donors." [The Houston
Chronicle, 7/28/13]
"Millions Of Dollars Earmarked For Cancer
Research Went To Abbott's Political Donors." In
May 2014, The Dallas Morning News reported,
"Millions of dollars earmarked for cancer research
went to Abbott's political donors." [The Dallas
Morning News, 5/13/14]
SUPER: Greg Abbott.
Another insider who's just not
working for us.
###