AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has joined the board of a stem cell company where he underwent experimental back surgery before running for president in 2011.
That seems a curious move since the procedure didn’t calm the chronic pain that the Republican later blamed for his “oops” moment and other infamous gaffes that sunk his campaign.
Houston-based biotechnology company Celltex Therapeutics Corp. announced Thursday that Perry had joined its board effective this past May.
Perry flamed out of the 2012 presidential race and mounted a short-lived second White House run last fall.
He was the longest-serving governor in Texas history before leaving office in January 2015.
During Perry’s gubernatorial tenure, the Texas Medical Board approved a rule creating guidelines for supervising stem cell use — benefiting companies like Celltex.