I want to thank all of you for your testimony this morning. I certainly agree that a merit-based, competent-based system of appointments is crucial, and patronage has no place in this system. I certainly agree with you about the terrible effects of the current crisis at the IRB.
The question I want to ask all of you is this. Are you aware of any suggestion that either the advisory panel or the chair of the IRB, Mr. Fleury, acted in a partisan way in how they exercised their responsibilities? Have you folks ever made that criticism of those individuals or that group, or have you heard of those kinds of criticisms of them?