As I said yesterday, one of our jobs this year is to wipe the complacent smiles off the smug faces of the lobbyists, “experts”, “scientists”, politicians and activists pushing AGW.
This is why I am so glad to report that Michael Mann – creator of the incredible Hockey Stick curve and one of the scientists most heavily implicated in the Climategate scandal – is about to get a very nasty shock. When he turns up to work on Monday, he’ll find that all 27 of his colleagues at the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University have received a rather tempting email inviting them to blow the whistle on anyone they know who may have been fraudulently misusing federal grant funds for climate research.
Under US law, regardless of whether or not a prosecution results, the whistleblower stands to make very large sums of money: it is based on a percentage of the total government funds which have been misused, in this case perhaps as much as $50 million. (Hat tip: John O’Sullivan of the wonderful new campaigning site www.climategate.com)
Here’s that email in full:
Hi,
Greetings and best wishes for a prosperous New Year.
National Search
After the recent whistleblower revelations of emails between climate researchers and data from the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit, there are on-going investigations into potential fraudulent use of grant funds in Climate Research in the US. I am assisting interested parties who may have details of fraud in climate research to make contact with the proper authorities, and to share in the rewards paid when the funds are recovered.
Whistleblower Rewards Program
The federal government has established vigorous programs to identify and prosecute fraudulent grant applications and administration. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) administers the False Claims Act. It allows rewards for those who come forward with details of grant fraud to share in the recovery of federal funds. This reward can be as much as 30% of the total amount reclaimed. The program is almost completely reliant on insiders to report their knowledge of the fraud in their institutions.
Attorney Literally “Wrote the Book” on Fraud Recovery Lawsuits
Joel Hesch, Esq., of Hesch and Associates, literally wrote the book on how to report federal fraud. He has an extensive background in representing whistleblowers in all types of federal funding fraud cases, including Educational/ Research Grant Fraud. According to Mr Hesch: “Many institutions receive grants, whether for research or educational purposes. When they lie to get the grant or keep the grant or if they use the funds for purposes outside the grant, they are liable under the DOJ program. There have been many grant cases brought by whistleblowers. ”
If you know of anyone who might have details about fraudulent statements or actions by recipients of federal grant funds for climate research, please have them contact me immediately at the below email or cell phone. Alternatively, they may also contact Mr Hersch directly, and let him know that they were referred by me. All communications are completely confidential. They may want to consider using a third party email service (Yahoo, Hotmail, or other) instead of work email to communicate.
30% of $50 million is more than $12 million. Ask your friends to do the right thing, and be rewarded for doing it.
Our country, and in fact, the entire world is counting on someone to stand up and tell the truth about climate research. The effects of moving forward with taxes and policies based on fraudulent science could potentially cripple the US economy and cost lives and jobs for generations.
Look forward to hearing from you.
All the best
Kent Clizbe
Happy New Year, Climategaters.
Read original story here with comments.
It is not going to, and is not designed to, work.
It is fairly clear to me that this is a publicity stunt by the legal firm involved. Just look at the free advertising they are getting, and there will be lots more.
That ‘eco’ website that reported evenly on climategate (in reply in another thread) is selling stuff as well. people are just cashing in on the new popularity. I’ve no objections as it is better than the only cashing in so far that has been from Gore and his ilk, and web sites ramping up the scare factor.
Now how can I get my company name across so much of the web, and even into the MSM? Hmmmmm….
Anyone got any good ideas?
it is NOT based on the total fraud but on the total $ recovered
and since most research is cost reimbursement based, the amount of $ recovered will likely be minimal
A rule of anything large and bureaucractic is this:
There are always more leaks.
If Mann is capable of creating a hockystick out of nothing he is more than capable of creating a senario where he will look like a whistleblower. Thereby ensuring funding for the next 5 years. He will be as slippery as a wet bar of soap covered in oil.
I’m not too fond of this approach. The distasteful aspects are all pretty obvious.
There are laws. And given probable cause I’d expect that a notification of the laws is in order. Esp. with voters breathing down the necks of the politicians.
Yeah, but what about his former underlings at the U. of VA? Less collegiality there, mayhap.
There is enough evidence without any insiders providing help. Paper trail. Obstruction of justice if evidence is destroyed. Any deals will probably be with people implicated.
From the Daily Mail explosion:
“In 2007 the then editor of Newsnight hit out at the BBC’s stance on climate change.
Peter Barron said it was ‘not the corporation’s job to save the planet’. His comments were backed up by other senior news executives who feared the BBC was ‘leading’ the audience, rather than giving them ‘information’.
Mr Barron had claimed the BBC had gone beyond its remit by planning an entire day of programmes dedicated to highlighting environmental fears.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1241049/BBC-announces-review-science-coverage-month-revealed-ignored-Climategate-leaked-emails.html#ixzz0bsV6RsEd
The story is unhappy. Why do we NEED whistleblowers? Because a few people think they can roll over the little guy by “changing what the peer-review process is” (paraphrased.) On the other hand, one of the only ways to handle corruption is to make it pay. And thievery in the high halls of academia should be no more shielded than in Congress, the Executive suite or on a Military base. Just because they got fancy degrees does not mean they can lie, cheat and steal.
A few $35M recovery awards and manipulators will get the message. You want to run your show like organized crime? You get treated like organized crime. And honesty gets rewarded in this world.
He’s right, 30% of $50m is more than $12m…it is exactly $15m, how hard is that math to get right?
Cheers
The winter 2009 – 2010 cold stress death numbers will likely be a shock. Given the severe cold now in place. The numbers are likely larger when you factor in the numbers of carcasses too decomposed to establish cause of death and possible ‘hide the numbers’.
FWC News – FWC releases preliminary 2009 manatee mortality data
http://myfwc.com/NEWSROOM/10/statewide/News_10_X_ManateeDeaths09.htm
The high number of manatees affected by cold stress during the winter months of 2008-2009 can, in part, explain the higher-than-average number of manatee deaths last year. Biologists documented a record high of 56 cold stress-related deaths in 2009, which was more than double the five-year average. Biologists also documented high numbers of watercraft-related and perinatal (newborn) deaths – the two most commonly documented causes of death in 2009.
http://research.myfwc.com/features/view_article.asp?id=33589
Statewide, 72 deaths from cold stress were reported during winter 2008-2009. This number is twice as high as the most recent five-winter average.
(More than double)
In many organisations if you do not verbally agree with AGW you will not get a job or contract work, and you won’t get a career. It is highly unlikely all researchers are so committed, even if they would never say it publicly. This would give them a chance to be free and cleanse their souls.
Certainly there is at least one person at CRU who felt so moved and look what effect he/she is having. They may be nervous at being discovered and sacked but so far they have done well.
I think I need to get a T-shirt printed : ‘Climate Modeller – Will Prove Anything For Money’
In Eisenhower’s industrial complex speech, he also said
“The prospect of domination of the nation’s scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.”
Is even more Federal whistle blower money the answer or is it time to slash Federal funding of university research to the bone?
If the professors had to beg the private sector for funds, their activities might actually benefit humanity.
Challenge: Can anyone name something of valuable that has come out of academic research?
This is a silly and demeaning piece of legal ambulance chasing.
The Federal statutes which apply were designed to winkle out fraud in goverment procurement. They share a substantial portion (typically 15%) of the recovery from overcharges with the whistle blower. Numerous lawsuits are in process in the defense industry initiated as a result of this.
In this case, there is no procurement, so the aggrieved party would have to be the legislature that passed laws on the basis of bad information generated by a conspiracy.
At best, the outcome might be that no sensible lawmaker listens to scientists in the future. More likely is that funding for scientists of all stripes will be curtailed, because the recommendations of some, endorsed by all the big names in the community were not just wrong, but visibly mistaken.
Freezing cold and blizzard snows are practically shutting down the entire northern hemisphere. Money is now being lost due to diminished economic activity at a phenomenal rate. The money being spent and lost is supposed to be mitigated by accurate climate predictions. The wealthy elite are being hit hard by their own doing. They were largely responsible for promoting the Man-made global warming scam. Now they get to reap what they sowed. Accurate predictions of climate activity would have mitigated their loses and gotten the sheeple ready to deal with it. Too late now.
So, can he get the money for turning himself in? Just thinking… 😉
“Anticlimactic (15:52:20) :
[…]
I think I need to get a T-shirt printed : ‘Climate Modeller – Will Prove Anything For Money’”
Make that ‘Climate Modeller – Will Prove Anything For Food’
“Dennis (15:54:20) :
[…]
Challenge: Can anyone name something of valuable that has come out of academic research?”
MP3. DVB. That was easy.
The whistleblower program is a way out for those that recognize wrong doing. Financial motivation is secondary. The climategate whistleblower is just the tip of an iceberg that’s getting bigger .
Jeff in Ctown (Canada) (14:14:48) :
>Probably will get tagged by the SPAM filter. Most of these guys will likley not even see this e-mail. Too bad, would be good to have some insider wistle blowers
I’m sure they all read WUWT everyday. Even if they don’t, this thing is all over the web. So don’t worry. Anytime now, we’ll get a taker.
Nice to see that the former CIA guy does not use the term “hacker” but instead goes directly for the whistle-blower that leaked the emails… refreshing!
They should send the email to the IT guys instead.
[ The I.T. guys will know… trust me… -mod]
Take out a newspaper ad in the student newspaper. If they’ll let you. Billboard. I hate to suggest it, but, the young republicans will help.
Maybe Michael Mann himself might be willing to act on the offer on the condition that he’d be offered full immunity (and money, of course). Now, that would be an extremely cool yet devastating blow to the warmist camp. Is there a credit organization who would be willing to front him some substantial money after examining his evidence and its potential payoff?
Just dreaming, but one never knows.
Dennis (15:54:20) : Challenge: Can anyone name something of valuable that has come out of academic research?
Nuclear reactor. First one built under the bleachers at a university… (Imagine doing that today!)
Next we need to take on the ones that push the “polar brown bear” extinction myths.
Dennis (15:54:20) :
Challenge: Can anyone name something of valuable that has come out of academic research?
Jonas Salk attended NYU Medical School and later at University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, developed the vaccine that ended polio with funding from the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.
Of course there is much that is positive coming from the university research system the world over. In this case we have a few bad, very bad eggs who have commandeered the process. They used strong arm, looter tactics to intimidate usually meek science types – a reason they were so successful. Combined with agit-prop activists (Move On) and a fawning media, they pursued an agenda they thought perfect.
The mistake was that energy alternatives and sustainability needed doctored science to make it work. This is wrong. It corrupted the science and method, and caused rational people to roll their eyes. Then the whole campaign got usurped by the globalists who tried to leverage it into a world government agenda. At a cost to national economies of billions of dollars. Big money – big battles.
Recovered funds? There are billions in the pipeline to study “climate change.” People who bring an end to that scam will cause contract cancellations and funds “recovered.” It is big money – do not doubt it. But the need for ending foreign oil imports remains. Alternative energy and clean domestic energy resources are valid and necessary for a strong economy and national security.