Scientific Integrity in the News

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Hundreds of science journals, newspapers, radio and television stations have written or editorialized about the issue of scientific integrity in the context of the scientists' statement and the UCS report. Unfortunately, the Bush administration's unprecedented suppression and distortion of scientific analysis on a wide range of issues has continued unabated. Below is a sampling of media coverage that mentions the abuse of science, the scientists' statement or UCS's work to restore scientific integrity into policy making.

For articles prior to 2007, visit our news archives.

Examine articles on specific issues:
Editing of CDC Director's Climate Testimony
Censorship of Surgerons General
Science Idol: The Scientific Integrity Editorial Cartoon Contest
Interference with Endangered Species Science
Atmosphere of Pressure and related House hearing

And check out scientific integrity cartoons!

2008

Nov 3: "Former EPA investigator blows whistle on Alaska oil spill" (Northwest Cable News)
Oct 31: "A Last Push to Deregulate" (Washington Post)
Oct 20: "More Sadness for Appalachia" (New York Times)
Oct 17: "Agencies Rated on Scientific Candor" (Washington Post)
Oct 15: "Bush Rule Changes Could Block Product-Safety Suits" (The Wall Street Journal)
Oct 13: "Gift to Center Headed by FDA Panel Chairman Raises Questions" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Oct 9: "Scientists send letter decrying 'politicization of science'" (Canadian Press in The Globe and Mail)
Oct 7: "Fuming over formaldehyde" (Los Angeles Times)
Sept 24: "Groups Seek Whistle-Blower Protection in Bailout Legislation" (Washington Post)
Sept 17: "Study Links Chemical BPA to Health Problems" (Washington Post)
July 23: "EPA Decision Making Is Criticized" (Wall Street Journal)*
June 5: "Plan to save whales strangling in red tape" (CNN)
June 8: "Bush's failure as Scientist in Chief" (San Francisco Science Examiner)
May 24: "Science relegated to opinion by an increasingly toxic EPA" (Tennessean editorial)
May 8: "Toxic thinking by EPA chiefs" (Lompoc Record editorial)
April 6: "Skeptics don’t gnaw at Wally Wolverine" (Sierra Sun editorial)
Mar 14: "Ozone case shows Bush meddling in science" (Reuters)
Jan 30: "Study Finds Government Ethics Lapses" (Washington Post)
Jan 29: "Lawmakers Fault FEMA on Trailers" (Washington Post)
Jan 29: "FEMA covered up cancer risks to Katrina victims" (Salon)
Jan 22: "US censors Arctic scientists' findings as it prepares for oil and gas auction" (The Independent - UK)
Jan 16: "U.S. Dominance in Science and Technology at Risk, Report Says" (New York Times)
Jan 13: "White House Secrecy Starts to Give" (Washington Post)
Jan 11: "Voters Petition for Presidential Science Debate" (National Public Radio)

2007

Dec 27: "Conservationists sue gov't for records" (AP in ABC News)
Dec 11: "Climate Science Manipulation Alleged" (AP)
Dec 1: "Advisers Say F.D.A.'s Flaws Put Lives at Risk" (New York Times)
Dec 3: "Spotted owl, marbled murrelet decisions to be examined" (AP in Seattle Times)
Dec 2: "Endangered Truth: Exposing the Administration’s Lies on Science" (The Daily Camera, CO)
Nov 28: "Agency reverses endangered species rulings" (CNN)
Nov 26: "When Protectors Become Predators" (In These Times)
Nov 16: "Scientists Fault Climate Exhibit Changes" (Washington Post)
Nov 14: "Meat Treatment Got Approval Despite Safety Concerns" (Washington Post)
Nov 1: "The war on whistle-blowers" (Salon.com)
Oct 30: "Cancer Crusader Tells 'Secret History' of War" (Bloomberg News)
Sept 30: "The White House vs. mother's milk" (Los Angeles Times)
Sept 9: "A Legacy Bush Can Control" (New York Times)
Aug 14: "OMB Hits the Brakes on Right Whale Rule" (Washington Post)
July 24: "Endangered species rulings under review" (AP in USA Today)
July 19: "FEMA Suppressed Health Warnings for Workers, Katrina Victims" (Washinton Post)
July 10: "Former Bush Surgeon General Says He Was Muzzled" (Reuters)
June 27: "Leaving No Tracks" (Washington Post)
June 17: "Diabetes drug to get 'black box' warning in US" (New Scientist)
June 11: "Judge blocks grazing rules on federal lands" (MSNBC)
June 1: "Does Politics Influence the CDC?" (ABC News)

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Editing of CDC Director's Testimony

Sept 12: "CDC director cites agency 'brain gain'" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Oct 25: "Climate Change Testimony Was Edited by White House" (New York Times)
Oct 25: "Sen. Boxer Seeks Answers On Redacted Testimony" (Washington Post)
Oct 24: "CDC director denies she was censored on climate report" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Oct 23: "White House Edits CDC Climate Testimony" (ABC News)

Censorship of Surgerons General
At a July 2007 hearing of a House panel, three former Surgeons General testified about censorship of scientific reports and interference in their work.

Aug 16: "Democrats seek to shield top health official from political pressure" (Government Executive)
July 31: "2 distinct diagnoses on world health" (Los Angeles Times)
July 29: "Bush Aide Blocked Report" (Washington Post)

Science Idol: The Scientific Integrity Editorial Cartoon Contest

July 31: "'Truth' Cartoon Wins Scientists Group's Contest" (NPR)
July 30: "Oregon Resident Wins 'Science Idol' Cartoon Contest" (Editor & Publisher)
July 29: "Eugene cartoonist wins a trip to D.C. and lunch with his idol" (Oregon Register-Guard)
July 15: "Online vote could earn editorial cartoonist title of 'Science Idol'" (Oregon Register-Guard)

Interference with Endangered Species Science (2006-2007)
Over the last two years there have been dozens of cases of political interference in the science behind the Endangered Species Act.

2007

July 25: "Did Cheney interfere with Endangered Species Act?" (Christian Science Monitor)
July 24: "Endangered species rulings under review" (AP in USA Today)
July 10: "Interior's Incomplete Ethics Policy" (New York Times editorial)
July 5: "Critics say species list is endangered" (Los Angeles Times)
June 28: "Dems: Investigate Cheney for role in salmon die-off" (Seattle Times)
June 27: "Leaving No Tracks" (Washington Post)
June 14: "Only Wild Fish Matter in 'Endangered' Count, Judge Rules" (New York Times)
May 17: "Delisting of eagles could be unlawful" (The Arizona Republic)
May 2: "Interior Dept. Official Facing Scrutiny Resigns" (Washington Post)
April 30: "Spotted Owl: Stick with science" (Seattle Post-Intetelligencer editorial)
March 31: "Extinct Sense" (Washington Post Editorial)
March 30: "Report Faults Interior Appointee" (Washington Post)
March 29: "Report Says Interior Official Overrode Work of Scientists" (New York Times)
March 27: "Inside the secretive plan to gut the Endangered Species Act" (Salon)
March 13: "FWS memo makes polar bears a taboo topic" (Federal Times)
March 11: "The censorship of science undermines democracy" (Op Ed by UCS's Francesca Grifo in the Salem Statesman Journal)

May 2007 House hearing on interference with endangered species science:

"Democrats assail Bush administration over science meddling" (AP in North County Times)
"Experts: Politics trumped science" (Casper Star-Tribune)
"Data-tinkering review vowed" (Sacramento Bee)*
"Lawmakers Fault Interior Dept. on Endangered Species" (NPR)

2006

Dec 13: "Interior Department disregarding science in decisions" (Denver Post)
Nov 9: "Endangered Species" (Missoula Independent)
Nov 4: "Backlog puts imperilled species on 'death row'" (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
Nov 2: "Official changed or ignored data on species, activists say" (Salt Lake Tribune)
Nov 1: "Research cited in species decision" (Rocky Mountain News)
Oct 31: "Wildlife groups decry 'political' move" (Rocky Mountain News)
Oct 30: "Interior aide bars grouse's protection" (Denver Post)
Oct 30: "Protection of species criticized" (Contra Costa Times)
Oct 30: "Bush Appointee Said to Reject Advice on Endangered Species" (Washington Post)

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Atmosphere of Pressure and related House hearing
In January of 2007, UCS released a report about political interference in the work of federal climate science. UCS's Francesca Grifo testified before a House panel about the results of the report.

"Political Heat: Questions for Drew Shindell" (New York Times Magazine)
"Muzzling of federal scientists must stop" (Op Ed by UCS Executive Director in Philadelphia Inquirer)
"Lawmakers on Hill Seek Consensus on Warming" (Washington Post)
"Has the White House interfered on global warming reports?" (Christian Science Monitor)
"Scientists Criticize White House Stance on Climate Change Findings" (New York Times)*
"House, Senate target climate change White House efforts to alter scientific reports draw rebuke" (San Francisco Chronicle)
"Warming data allegedly manipulated" (Chicago Tribune)
"U.S. Congress grapples with global warming and political pressure on scientists" (Canadian Press)
"Scientists say Bush stifled data on climate" (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
"House Opens Hearing on Climate Research" (Wall Street Journal)*
"White House climate documents sought" (Los Angeles Times)
"Waxman’s Kyoto Strategy" (National Review)
"US climate scientists pressured on climate change" (New Scientist)
"US government meddles in climate science: report" (RxPG News)
"Waxman: White House misled public on global warming" (Los Angeles Times)
"Capitol Hill pledges climate-change laws" (Denver Post)
"Scientists allege White House pressure" (Reuters)
"Survey: Bush Advisers Interfered in Climate Reports" (U.S. News and World Report)
"White House interfered in climate change report, lawmaker says" (Government Executive)