David Steinberg, a professor of Asian studies at Georgetown University, says he is not very optimistic that Burma's military government will respond positively to the new U.S.policy or release the country's more than two thousand political prisoners.

VOA: standard.2009.11.02

He would license new genes to Steinberg's firm but only via an institute Steinberg would bankroll: TIGR.

FORBES: Magazine Article

On Wednesday, the inspector general's office wrote Issa's committee saying the Justice Department authorized the inspector general to give the committee documents related to Steinberg's potential interference.

NPR: AP Exclusive: Possible USAID Bid Rigging Probed

But for Mr Steinberg's tough prison-warder colleagues it is a distraction, or worse, from the job of keeping their charges under control.

ECONOMIST: Unlocking the books in a prison library