As we explained in a news release on Tuesday, the University of Minnesota recently charged MCCL with making "false statements" about the University -- specifically, our claim that the University's Stem Cell Institute is "believed to be pursuing human cloning for research purposes."
We responded by noting testimony from U of M leaders that seems to indicate that the University is, indeed, pursuing human cloning. If anything, our modest claims about the U of M were understated. It is clear that someone at the University is not telling the truth.
In our response, we also called on the University to explain how its ongoing embryo-destructive research is compatible with MN Statute 145.422, which prohibits such research. The U of M has not provided any legal rationale for its conduct.
Our exchange with the U of M has been covered on LifeNews.com and at National Right to Life, and elsewhere. There were also misleading stories in the Pioneer Press and the Minnesota Independent. The former is blatantly inaccurate in claiming that MCCL's allegation is that the University is violating the new ban on taxpayer funding of human cloning; our actual claim is that they are violating Statute 145.422. Their violation of state law and their pursuit of human cloning -- the two main points we covered in our response to the University -- are distinct topics.
I'll post some more corrections to the Pioneer Press piece later, and we'll continue to update as the MCCL-U of M story continues.
