First the NY Times. Now Style Weekly. Is the VCU president in the pocket of the tobacco industry? I still need convincing.
Jump to full article: Richmond.com, 2008-05-29
Author: James A. Bacon Richmond.com
Intro: What is this, trounce on Gene Trani month?
The New York Times unloaded on Virginia Commonwealth University, and by implication the school's president Eugene Trani, last week when it concocted a story about VCU's "secretive" research contract with Philip Morris USA. (See "NY Times Slimes VCU.") Now Style Weekly has followed up with a short article, describing Trani's "deep" connections to the tobacco industry by highlighting his membership on the Universal Corp. board of directors. . . .
As a member of the Universal board of directors, Trani receives a retainer of $40,000, including stock options, plus a fee of $2,000 for each board meeting he attends and $1,500 for committee meetings. Universal is a global trader and processor of tobacco leaf.
And the implication is--?
"I don't see any connection between these two," university spokesperson Pam Lepley told Style. "And his being on the board doesn't really pertain to the university."
Lepley was too mild. First of all, Philip Morris didn't "give" VCU $1.3 million. It paid VCU $1.3 million for research services.
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