| August 30, 2010 |  |
Judge Dismisses Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's Misguided Investigation of Michael Mann
Statement by Francesca Grifo, Director of UCS's Scientific Integrity Program
WASHINGTON (August 30, 2010) – The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) called today’s decisions by a Virginia judge to dismiss Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s demand for documents related to research by climate scientist Michael Mann a “victory for scientific discovery.”
Judge Paul Peatross Jr. ruled that while the Virginia attorney general could investigate state grants awarded to scientists, Cuccinelli and his staff failed to demonstrate that such an investigation was warranted in this case. “The nature of the conduct is not stated so that any reasonable person could glean what Dr. Mann did to violate the statute,” the judge wrote. “… The Court…understands the controversy regarding Dr. Mann’s work on the issue of global warming. However, it is not clear what he did that was misleading, false or fraudulent in obtaining funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Below is a statement by Francesca Grifo, director of UCS’s Scientific Integrity Program.
“This is a victory for scientific discovery. This ruling makes it clear that when a state attorney general alleges fraud against a scientist, he needs actual evidence to back up his claim.
“The scientific process works. When scientists commit fraud, ultimately other scientists bring it to light. In this case, independent scientists have repeatedly reviewed Dr. Mann’s work and found no evidence of wrongdoing. Ken Cuccinelli is targeting Mann because he disagrees with the scientist’s conclusions. These sorts of dangerous attacks distract scientists from their work and can have a chilling effect on all kinds of research.
“Hopefully, Cuccinelli will now stop wasting taxpayer dollars on this misguided crusade against a good scientist. Scientists must be free to do their work without the fear of harassment. Then we all can benefit from the discoveries they make.”
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
