Ethics and Politics

So I have recently submitted my project (and all of the supporting documentation) in to the Hospital Research Ethics Committee (HREC) to be reviewed and approved so that I can get underway with my PhD research. How naive I was thinking that this was merely a formality and that the process would be simple and easy. I had copies of the protocol, consent forms, DNA storage forms and all the relevant supporting documentation that totalled 200 pages.
And after all - the patients I want to include in my study would be having surgery and blood sampling anyway, all they have to consent to my use and storage of their DNA.
It seems almost funny now that I thought this would be so easy.
Apparently, according to another committee member, what it comes down to is that there are people on HREC that don't like my supervisor so they are blocking the submission.

What the?!

Surely that should have nothing to do with it! Not only does my candidacy for PhD require approval of this project, we are waiting on a relatively large sum of money that is dependant on this approval. It doesn't seem 'ethical' that they can object to this study because they have some long standing war with my supervisor.

What now? I am off to find out what the options are.