The Smithsonian Institution, America’s premier collection of museums, has not had a good year. First there was the unfolding scandal of director Larry Small, who turned out to be spending umpteen dollars of Smithsonian money to upkeep his house and office for official functions. Small resigned in disgrace earlier this year, but now there’s fresh controversy on the front pages of the Washington Post.

Seems there’s a little problem with the issue of a $5 million donation from the American Petroleum Institute for a new oceans hall that’s slated to open at the Smithsonian’s natural history museum next year. The money would primarily sponsor a website on marine issues over which the Smithsonian would retain editorial control. But businessman Gus Sant — who made his fortune through a power company that is itself a member of the petroleum institute — raised red flags about the deal. Citing oil spills like the Exxon Valdez, he told the Post: “I think it is in everyone’s mind that oceans and oil are not consistent.”

The Smithsonian regents are a powerful crowd, including several US senators and chaired by John Roberts, who leads the US Supreme Court. They are scheduled to consider the API donation at their next meeting, slated for Nov. 19. The controversy is a minor blow for Cristian Samper, a biologist who took over at the Smithsonian after Small departed, who approved the deal, and whom many had hoped might restore the institution’s scientific glory. But it’s not unexpected given controversies like whether the European Geosciences Union might approach the oil company ExxonMobil about sponsoring its conferences (see previous Nature story here).

Sant says he’ll recuse himself from any upcoming vote, as he’s the largest donor to the oceans project overall.

(And yes, the headline on this item is shamefully cribbed from whatever brilliant copy editor was working on the Post Friday night.)