New Documents Suggest Political Influence on Biden’s Scientific Integrity Initiatives
Recently uncovered documents from a government watchdog group reveal that the Biden administration’s approach to “scientific integrity” seems to be heavily influenced by leftist ideology.
Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) has shared a document detailing initiatives from former President Joe Biden’s 2021 memorandum. This “Scientific Integrity” framework was aligned with the Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) report. The memo, titled “Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking,” was slated for implementation under the 2022 Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and Practice Framework.
The framework emphasizes that promoting DEIA is regarded as “as important” as maintaining scientific integrity among researchers.
PPT Director Michael Chamberlain expressed skepticism, stating, “Once again, we have further evidence that the Biden administration’s commitment to science was not as strong as its commitment to politics. Science should help us discover all the truths of nature. That is simply not possible when surrounded by political fads.”
Biden’s 2021 memo directed the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to “ensure the highest level of integrity in all aspects of the executive branch’s involvement in the science and technology process.” It also stressed that scientific knowledge “must never be distorted or influenced by political considerations.”
PPT pointed out that the DEIA initiatives appear to contradict Biden’s directive against political interference in scientific integrity. The draft mentions that it “may only be shared within government agencies.”
The document further states, “Just as important as scientific integrity policies are the policies, practices, and agency culture that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the scientific workforce.” It notes that scientific integrity and DEIA concerns can intersect due to various forms of bias in the workplace.
A table included in the report outlines metrics for assessing scientific integrity in federal agencies, featuring DEIA benchmarks as a measure of success. It suggests evaluating policy consistency with established frameworks, including whether DEIA is a key factor.
The document also mentions that Biden’s Subcommittee on Scientific Integrity was tasked with coordinating efforts across government entities on significant issues affecting scientific integrity, including matters of DEIA.
While the Biden administration emphasizes DEI, the Trump administration focused on what it termed the “golden standard of science,” aiming to revert agencies to their original mission.
