EXAMINER EXCLUSIVE
Project PARTY, a controversial group sex study funded by Massachusetts taxpayers, was abruptly halted on December 31, 2010, after two years of state funding. Project PARTY was shut down after House Minority Leader Bradley Jones [R-North Reading] called for its immediate halt following his learning about the Department of Public Health orgy study.
Governor Deval Patrick has not commented on Project PARTY, although the administration official responsible for approval and funding of the group sex research, Kevin Cranston, has been vocal in support of Project PARTY.
Kevin Cranston heads the Infectious Diseases office of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and has been active in collaboration as a co-author with a Department vendor, Fenway Institute in Boston. When sex behavior researchers at Fenway approached Cranston about their interest in group sex parties–with more writing credits for Cranston–a focus group was convened.
A leaked copy of the November 6, 2008 Project PARTY focus group minutes shows how the group sex study was hatched. A dozen people gathered, all MDPH employees or staff of MDPH vendors, for a candid discussion of who knew what about Massachusetts gay sex parties.