GAP coalition partner Union of Concerned Scientists has released a letter signed by 800 scientists and professors in Virginia that urges Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to drop his inquiry into publicly funded work by a climate scientist formerly employed by the University of Virginia. The scientist, Michael Mann, was at the center of the so-called "Climategate" controversy last year, but has been cleared of any wrongdoing by a review at Pennsylvania State University, where he currently works. In addition, two reports by committees in the United Kingdom have found no evidence of wrongdoing by any of the scientists involved.
Despite Mann being cleared of all accusations against him, Cuccinelli is still asking the University of Virginia to turn over a massive amount of documents – including 10 years worth of emails with 40 other individuals! – relating to his research there, under a Virginia law called the Fraud Against Taxpayers Act. Under this law, Mann would have had to knowingly present false information to the state in order to gain compensation – in this case, five grants. The Penn State inquiry cleared Mann of specifically that, saying there was "no credible evidence that Dr. Mann had or has ever engaged in, or participated in, directly or indirectly, any actions with an intent to suppress or to falsify data." Climate Science Watch has been following this case in great detail.
In addition, the university, which had originally said it would comply with Cuccinelli's order, has retained legal counsel, which may signal its intent not to obey the order. In his first statement on the issue, the rector of the university has said:
"Research universities must defend the privilege of academic freedom in the creation of new knowledge."
Since taking office in January, Cuccinelli hasn't stopped at threatening academic freedom, though. He's also filed a suit against the EPA's endangerment finding on greenhouse gases, sent a letter to Virginia's public universities arguing that they should stop protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, filed a lawsuit to stop healthcare reform, and even unveiled a much-ridiculed non-nudity version of the classical art depicted in the Virginia state seal.
That's a lot of activist, politically-motivated work for just five months in office. We wish you the best of luck with the next four years, Virginia.
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Beth Adelson is a Communications Fellow for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower advocacy organization.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
I did not expect you to agree with me as the substance of your blog clearly shows that you are a true believer in the AGW cause.
For example, you restate the AGW talking points that sweep the entire climategate issue under the carpet as being again settled thanks to the vapid whitewashes by Penn State etc., and quoting the AGW advocacy group "Climate Science Watch" as your climate knowledge bible.
For someone in a group who claims to be interested in accountability, how do you reconcile your beliefs on impartial investigation with taking a fox's word that a fox investigated his fellow fox's conduct while in the chicken house, and after an intensive 5 minute discussion over a beer they found their fellow fox innocent of wrongdoing?
If you are truly interested in learning why I feel that Mann is a fraud, it is that as a government funded effort in a state university, he should be accountable for what he stated on his grant application when getting funds from the state, and after review of both his work and his behavior evidenced in his emails, I am confident that his poor science is deliberate as opposed merely being unwitting and uniformed poor practices.
As for the science behind the fact that Mann's results are incorrect - if you are open to hearing a skeptical perspective on the very flawed and incorrect theories proposed by Mann, Jones et. al., (as an real scientist would be) there are many sources online that you could read as a starting point, including peer reviewed articles that invalidate the work of Mann and Jones.
I appreciate that you do still belie in free speech, but as you clearly specialize in communications you might wantto give thoughtto how you are percieved when you only want to hold government accountable when it's actions agree with your poitical position on an issue. I say let Cuccinelli proceed and i he can make his case then he is right, ifhe can not then he has done his job as he understands it. If you don't like that you can exercise your other right and vote him out of office (an option that the people can not exercise with Mr Mann).
So again,
Bah Humbug
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Would you like to share more about your argument? Either way, thank you for commenting.
Beth Adelson
Communications Fellow
Government Accountability Project
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
You make it clear that you stand with the AGW cult and your propaganda article makes you a party to the government fraud at U of Virginia committed by Mann, and whom your organization's mandate is to fight.
I say to you - bah humbug, you are a fraud.