The biotech industry has hired Princeton Public Affairs, a well-connected New Jersey lobbying firm, to pass the nation's most extreme bill in favor of human cloning in a lame-duck session of the legislature after this year's November election.
The "somatic cell nuclear transfer" bill was passed by the New Jersey State Senate last December, but was taken off the floor of the Assembly in February when supporters could not get enough votes. Four members of President Bush's Council on Bioethics contended the bill "expressly authorizes the creation of new human beings by cloning."
Democratic leaders plan to bring up the bill immediately after the election. One of the partners in Princeton Public Affairs is Dale Florio, who is Somerset County Republican chairman.
SEN. COBURN?
Dr. Thomas Coburn, the country doctor who became a national favorite of conservative Republicans during three terms in Congress (1995-2000), is saying no to requests that he support a Senate campaign next year by Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphries. Coburn may be a candidate himself, if health permits.
Coburn, who was voluntarily term-limited in the House, is suffering from colon cancer but looked robust on a recent visit to Washington. He was elected from eastern Oklahoma's heavily Democratic district, which reverted to Democratic hands after Coburn retired.
The decision by Republican Sen. Don Nickles not to seek re-election makes his seat highly competitive. The likely Democratic candidate is Rep. Brad Carson, who succeeded Coburn in the House.