This would also be true of changes in tax laws, regulations, education, crime and punishment(Prison corp in particular), etc.     It is impossible to remove the potential for graft in politics.
As a  taxpayer I'm OK with most research work.   I'm comfortable with the pursuit on new knowledge that eventualy becomes a product or service.  Basic research often gets that process of development started.  

Virtually every competitive economy in the world has a mix of public and private money working to support the shared interest of their nation.    That doesn't mean mistakes aren't made, it's just a fact of being a successful nation.