The largest primate research facility in the United States has been accused of breeding chimpanzees in violation of government rules, and possibly the law.

At the heart of the case is whether the New Iberia Research Center systematically broke National Institutes of Health rules while breeding chimpanzees, or simply made a few honest and subsequently-corrected mistakes.

However, the NIH branch responsible for investigating the allegations has done so opaquely, with apparent reluctance.

Bringing the charges is the Humane Society of the United States. “They’ve signed contracts and grants saying tha...