While the IPCC gets taken to the woodshed, Mannian methodology gets another free pass.
Cuccinelli left Credit: TIMES-DISPATCH, Dr. Mann, right
An Albemarle County judge has dismissed Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s demand that the University of Virginia turn over documents related to the research of a prominent climate change expert.
Cuccinelli, a vocal climate change skeptic, had been investigating the possibility that climatology professor Michael Mann fraudulently obtained five taxpayer-funded research grants while employed at UVa between 1999 and 2005.
In an opinion issued this morning, Judge Paul M. Peatross Jr. ruled that Cuccinelli failed to show a sufficient “reason to believe” that UVa possessed any documents related to Mann that suggested a fraud occurred.
…
Peatross added, however, that the attorney general is within his rights to issue CIDs — which carry the legal weight of subpoenas — to investigate taxpayer-funded research grants awarded to professors such as Mann.
Cuccinelli said in a statement that he will send a new CID to UVa to continue his hunt for proof that Mann defrauded Virginia’s taxpayers in obtaining grants that funded his climate change research.
More here at The Daily Progress (not to be confused with the ‘angry progress’ blogs)
h/t to WUWT reader AnonyMoose
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This case smells like it goes toward an inside whistleblower.
Why is a county judge ruling on a state matter? Seems a district judge, at a minimum, would be involved…
I hope Cuccinelli appeals the judge’s dismissal. the AG’s position seemed to be well founded.
I trust that Mr. Cuccinelli will continue his efforts to make UVA and Mann accountable to the Commonwealth. Independent research is one thing–and should be free from state intervention unless state interests or public safety are threatened. State-funded research is quite another thing, and full accountability is necessary, including all factors that make the research replicable. I support Cuccinelli all the way.
So much for openness as a value point in and of itself. To be honest the best way to allow Cuccunelli to look a fool is to allow the process to continue until no fraud is found. There’s a lot of dirt under the rug, but fraud won’t be found there. So far, incompetence is not illegal in this country. Exposing that is what Mann has been spared.
This are aggressive and shameful actions by Cuccinelli. Dr Mann was found to have done his job properly. Instead of letting it go, this polarizes the debate. As if the goal is to silence scientists and bring fear.
Cuccinelli, let it go.
Then what good is an attorney general or a subpoena?
The dirty stuff is going to be in the emails, but those are either deleted or they’ve switched to using gmail so their schemes won’t be subject to FOI requests.
To serve and protect… Mannkind.
Cuccinelli will surely continue the patient legal process to get glimpses of UVa and Mann. The legal system grinds slowly and finely. Patience young grasshopper(s).
Can you doubt he had already prepared for the current court ruling?
John
If this is just a witch hunt funded by people who find Mann’s research “inconvenient”, as he says, why not just release everything? Seems like he would be completely vindicated if there is nothing to hide. By hiding behind legal blockades it leaves the impression that there is something that would be very damaging if it was made public. Oh yea, and what about all the other emails that have never been made public? Those would answer a whole bunch of questions.
Cuccinelli is still spouting the Kremlin line on global warming, but even the Kremlin has changed it’s tune.
Until recently, the Russian position has been that global warming is an invention of the West cooked up to destroy Russia. When Medvedev visited Tomsk last winter, he called the global-warming debate “some kind of tricky campaign made up by some commercial structures to promote their business projects.”
Recently, Russia’s President Medvedev stated that global warming is happening. RIA Novosti (7-31-10) reports that President Medvedev stated:
“What is happening to our planet’s climate should motivate all of us, I mean, states and heads of non-governmental organizations, to take more active steps to resist global warming.”
I guess Lord Monckton won’t be getting invited onto the Kremlin-financed propaganda channel Russia Today again.
PaulW,
Are you Mann’s sock puppet, or are you just thick?
The next thorough investigation of Mann will be the first.
A thorough review or audit of Mann, CRU, Hansen, Schmidt, etc. has yet to take place.
Mann, and the UV system got millions in tax payer dollars. They have the right to know what it was spent on, since we now know the science was garbage.
Scientists are not some medieval religious order, immune to mere secular authorities. It is long past time to subject Big Science to the same standards of accountability and disclosure as anyone else.
Watching the legal process work through the kinks is like watching grass grow; it’s slow and inexorable and the only one that works up a sweat is the person with the lawn mower. Who that will be remains to be seen.
The Russians often change the party line about the “plots” of crafty scientists and throw the conspiracy theorists under the bus.
For example Izvestiya (3-19-92) reported:
[Russian intelligence chief Yevgeni Primakov] mentioned the well known articles printed a few years ago in our central newspapers about AIDS supposedly originating from secret Pentagon laboratories. According to Yevgeni Primakov, the articles exposing US scientists’ “crafty” plots were fabricated in KGB offices.
Actually, the Russians own up to their propaganda campaigns pretty often. You might want to think about that.
The Russians often disclose their propaganda campaigns when the official line changes.
For example, Izvestiya (3-19-92) reported:
[Russian intelligence chief Yevgeni Primakov] mentioned the well known articles printed a few years ago in our central newspapers about AIDS supposedly originating from secret Pentagon laboratories. According to Yevgeni Primakov, the articles exposing US scientists’ “crafty” plots were fabricated in KGB offices.
The theft and mischaracterization of the emails may be what Russian operatives call kompromat.
What are these CIDs that he can issue, which “carry the same weight as a subpoena?
SaveE.
The judge’s ruling was very narrow. He simply said that Cuccinelli’s CID was defective while affirming the right of Cuccinelli to issue CIDs to investigate fraud at universities. UVa had argued that the AG had no right to investigate wrong doing at universities. This is a silly argument — if not the AG than who? UVa was essentially arguing that no one has the right to investigate them for financial fraud. This argument was clearly shot down. I imagine that the AG will now re-issue the CID with sufficient specificity regarding the alleged conduct. My bet is that we will see a new CID in 48 hours.
UVa can now not argue that the CID is improper; they can now only try to shoot it down based on technical defects, which is a loser because the AG will eventually get the CID technically correct. UVa also can not argue that the alleged conduct does not rise to the level of fraud — that’s for a grand jury to decide. In our system, the accused does not get to decide whether the accusation has merit or not.
Game, set, match Cuccinelli.
The persecution of Mann is led by a man who was given 55,000 dollars from a criminal named Bobby Thompson. http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2010/reports/navy-veterans-association/
Why did Cuccinelli give this obvious criminal “the benefit of the doubt” while persecuting a scientist that is very highly regarded by experts in his field?
I bet Dr. Mann didn’t get 55,000 dollars from a criminal.
Cuccinelli is probably getting funding from fossil fuel entities to persecute Mann.
I remember that the Russian gas company Itera gave a lot of money to Congressman Weldon’s daughter.
I think Cuccinelli is a stooge of the fossil fuel industry.
Well this isn’t over and now there is political reputation in play.
It will continue, it will be dirty and it will be very entertaining.
Dr. Mann sought out the scientific spotlight and enjoyed the fame. Wonder if he will enjoy the interrogation bright lights as much.
Mann has his records locked up tight. It’s Obamesque…
dp says:
August 30, 2010 at 1:38 pm
So much for openness as a value point in and of itself. To be honest the best way to allow Cuccunelli to look a fool is to allow the process to continue until no fraud is found. There’s a lot of dirt under the rug, but fraud won’t be found there. So far, incompetence is not illegal in this country. Exposing that is what Mann has been spared.
——–Reply:
“…but fraud won’t be found there.”
So you have access to all the papers? You are able to read his thoughts? You have inside information that nobody else has? Pray, please share it with us all!
Theo Barker says:
August 30, 2010 at 1:33 pm
“Why is a county judge ruling on a state matter?”
Because the investigation is being made under ‘civil rules’ rather then ‘criminal rules’.
paulw says:
August 30, 2010 at 1:39 pm
This are aggressive and shameful actions by Cuccinelli. Dr Mann was found to have done his job properly. Instead of letting it go, this polarizes the debate. As if the goal is to silence scientists and bring fear.
Cuccinelli, let it go.
————-Reply:
Are you so thick that you believe those internal reviews would actually find any wrong-doing? Those were as sound as “peer-reviews” by “the team”. Worthless.
Snapple,
Despite your name, I think you have been drinking too much AGW Kool-aid. But thanks for stopping by. While you won’t get booted from this site for expressing contrary opinions, you will need to put a little more effort into it to get someone to take you on.
Mods – a snip for Snapple for being off topic (Russian conspiracy theories) might have been in order.