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=="Climategate"==
Those who oppose action on global warming, such as [[Glenn Beck]] at [[Fox News]], have called the incident '''Climategate''' and argue that it disproves global warming.<ref>Noel Sheppard,[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/11/23/glenn-beck-skewers-scientists-involved-climategate "Glenn Beck Skewers Scientists Involved In ClimateGate"] Newsbusters, November 23, 2009</ref> Former vice presidential candidate [[Sarah Palin]] called for independent investigations into the e-mails, a delay in U.S. [[Environmental Protection Agency]] regulation of greenhouse gases, and outright boycotts of the Copenhagen international climate talks.<ref name="ap"/>
As noted in David Michael’s '''Doubt Is Their Product''', those opposing government regulation often deliberately cast certainty as the standard for regulatory action, even though science is not about certainty but having replicable research results and establishing consensus, while simultaneously manufacturing doubt and uncertainty to dismiss scientific research and write off corporate regulations as unnecessary.<ref>Chris Mooney,[http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_manufacture_of_uncertainty "Review of David Michael’s Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health"] The American Prospect, March 28, 2008</ref>
The issue has attracted the attention of some in the congressional minority.<ref name="CBS1">Declan McCullough, [http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504383_162-5761180-504383.html "Congress May Probe Leaked Global Warming E-Mails",] ''CBS News'', November 4, 2009.</ref>For example, Republican Senator James Inhofe called for an investigation on November 24, 2009.<ref>Rebecca Terrell, [http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/environment/2415-congress-launches-climategate-investigation "Congress Launches Climategate Investigation",] ''The New American'', November 27, 2009.</ref> Inhofe asserted that the IPCC and the UN "cooked the science to make this thing look as if the science was settled, when all the time of course we knew it was not."<ref name="CBS1" /><ref>Matt Dempsey, [http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=2188feb3-802a-23ad-4de4-3fbc0a92e126 "Listen: Inhofe Says He Will Call for Investigation on "Climategate" on Washington Times Americas Morning Show",] ''U.S. Senate Committee on Public Works'', November 23, 2009.</ref> The Ranking Member of the House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, Republican James Sensenbrenner also declared he would attend the Copenhagen conference on climate change to tell world leaders that regardless of President Obama's promises no more laws would be passed in the U.S. so long as "scientific fascism" persists. Sensenbrenner also wrote Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, leader of the IPCC, demanding that those found to have manipulated climate change data should not be allowed to participate in U.N. reports.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/09/sensenbrenner-climate-fascism/ "Sensenbrenner to Tell Copenhagen: No Climate Laws Until 'Scientific Fascism' Ends",] ''Fox News'', December 9, 2009.</ref>
The controversy also spurred some calls for academic investigations:
===Pennsylvania State University, Michael Mann===
On November 31, 2009, the Pennsylvania State University announced an inquiry into the potential misconduct of Michael Mann, director of its Earth System Science Center.<ref name="wtimesed">[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/02/universities-take-action-on-climategate/ "Universities take action on Climategate",] ''Washington Times'', December 2, 2009.</ref> The inquiry decided he had not directly or indirectly falsified research data.<ref>Mike de Souza, [http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2518632 "‘Climategate’ inquiry shows scientist didn’t falsify data",] ''Canwest News Service'', February 3, 2010.</ref>
However, on February 3, 2010, the inquiry moved into the 'investigatory stage' following the determination that additional investigation was needed for one of the four allegations of impropriety and to determine whether his actions had caused public doubt about his scientific findings<ref>[http://live.psu.edu/story/44327 "Inquiry into climate scientist moves to next phase",] ''Penn State Live'', February 3, 2010.</ref> A Penn State student groups protested the exoneration of Professor Mann, asserting that three panel members had incentive to protect the university's funding and had not examined the evidence while relying primarily on Mann's own statements.<ref>Samuel Settle, [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/penn-states-handling-of-mann-investigation-fails-to-satisfy-students-community-members-84012802.html "Penn State's Handling of Mann Investigation Fails to Satisfy Students, Community Members",] ''PRNewsWire'', February 10, 2010.</ref>
In April 2010, the National Science Foundation asked its Inspector General to examine Penn State's findings findings.<ref>Ed Barnes, [http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/06/climate-gate-michael-mann/ "Exclusive: Top Climate Scientist's Exoneration Won't Be the Last Word",] ''FOX News'', April 6, 2010.</ref>
(Mann, creator of the famous 'hockey stick' graph[] showing evidence of Global Warming for the past 900 years, received $2.4 million in Stimulus Money due to his grants from the National Science Foundation, as reported on in January 2010 by the Wall Street Journal.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004575010931344004278.html "Michael Mann's Climate Stimulus",] ''Wall Street Journal'', January 20, 2010.</ref>)
===University of East Anglia, Phil Jones===
On December 1, 2009, the University of East Anglia similarly announced an investigation into [[Phil Jones]], its director of Climate Research.<ref name="wtimesed" /> Jones stepped down from his post in December, but the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee (U.K.) in March declared accusations against him "largely misplaced" and has since supported his reinstatement.<ref>Ben Webster, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7081921.ece "Climate-row professor Phil Jones should return to work, say MPs",] ''London Times'', March 31, 2010.</ref>
The report stated,
::"We are content that the phrases such as 'trick' or 'hiding the decline' were colloquial terms used in private e-mails and the balance of evidence is that they were not part of a systematic attempt to mislead... We saw no evidence of any deliberate scientific malpractice in any of the work of the Climatic Research Unit and had it been there we believe that it is likely that we would have detected it. Rather we found a small group of dedicated if slightly disorganised researchers who were ill-prepared for being the focus of public attention."<ref>Jess Henig, [http://www.factcheck.org/2010/04/some-climategate-conclusions/ "Some “Climategate” Conclusions",] FactCheck.org, March 24, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/387/387i.pdf "The disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia",] ''House of Commons Science and Technology Committee'', March 24, 2010.</ref>
===State of Virginia Investigation===
In April 2010 Virginia's Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli asked the University of Virginia to produce "documents relating to Mann’s receipt of nearly half a million dollars in state grant-funded climate research" conducted from 1999-2005, when Professor Mann was employed by the university.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/30/virginia-attorney-general-global-warming-michael-mann/ "State of Virginia to Investigate Global Warming Scientist Mann",] ''FOX News'', April 30, 2010.</ref> This investigation has been called a political "witchhunt."<ref>Bud Ward, [http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/2010/05/michael-mann-witch-hunt "Lynchburg, Va. TV Meteorologist Blasts State’s A.G. for Michael Mann 'Witch Hunt'",] ''The Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media'', May 18, 2010.</ref>
==Freedom of Information Act Request==
In May 2010, Christopher Horner, following his previous Freedom of Information Act request three years ago, stated that he would file a lawsuit against [[NASA]] for release of potential 'Climategate' emails. Horner asserted that NASA might be withholding them long enough to prevent their impact on an upcoming Senate debate on climate change.<ref>Stephen Dinan, [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/26/nasa-accused-of-climategate-stalling/ "NASA accused of 'Climategate' stalling",] ''Washington Times'', May 26, 2010.</ref>
SW: reformat
The AP investigation found none of the CRU e-mails or documents involved falsification of data or "disproved" climate change.<ref name="ap"/>
=="Climategate"== Those who oppose action on global warming, such as [[Glenn Beck]] at [[Fox News]], have called the incident '''Climategate''' and argue that it disproves global warming.<ref>Noel Sheppard,[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/11/23/glenn-beck-skewers-scientists-involved-climategate "Glenn Beck Skewers Scientists Involved In ClimateGate"] Newsbusters, November 23, 2009</ref> Former vice presidential candidate [[Sarah Palin]] called for independent investigations into the e-mails, a delay in U.S. [[Environmental Protection Agency]] regulation of greenhouse gases, and outright boycotts of the Copenhagen international climate talks.<ref name="ap"/> As noted in David Michael’s '''Doubt Is Their Product''', those opposing government regulation often deliberately cast certainty as the standard for regulatory action, even though science is not about certainty but having replicable research results and establishing consensus, while simultaneously manufacturing doubt and uncertainty to dismiss scientific research and write off corporate regulations as unnecessary.<ref>Chris Mooney,[http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_manufacture_of_uncertainty "Review of David Michael’s Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health"] The American Prospect, March 28, 2008</ref> The issue has attracted the attention of some in the congressional minority.<ref name="CBS1">Declan McCullough, [http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504383_162-5761180-504383.html "Congress May Probe Leaked Global Warming E-Mails",] ''CBS News'', November 4, 2009.</ref>For example, Republican Senator James Inhofe called for an investigation on November 24, 2009.<ref>Rebecca Terrell, [http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/environment/2415-congress-launches-climategate-investigation "Congress Launches Climategate Investigation",] ''The New American'', November 27, 2009.</ref> Inhofe asserted that the IPCC and the UN "cooked the science to make this thing look as if the science was settled, when all the time of course we knew it was not."<ref name="CBS1" /><ref>Matt Dempsey, [http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=2188feb3-802a-23ad-4de4-3fbc0a92e126 "Listen: Inhofe Says He Will Call for Investigation on "Climategate" on Washington Times Americas Morning Show",] ''U.S. Senate Committee on Public Works'', November 23, 2009.</ref> The Ranking Member of the House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, Republican James Sensenbrenner also declared he would attend the Copenhagen conference on climate change to tell world leaders that regardless of President Obama's promises no more laws would be passed in the U.S. so long as "scientific fascism" persists. Sensenbrenner also wrote Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, leader of the IPCC, demanding that those found to have manipulated climate change data should not be allowed to participate in U.N. reports.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/09/sensenbrenner-climate-fascism/ "Sensenbrenner to Tell Copenhagen: No Climate Laws Until 'Scientific Fascism' Ends",] ''Fox News'', December 9, 2009.</ref> The controversy also spurred some calls for academic investigations: ===Pennsylvania State University, Michael Mann===On November 31, 2009, the Pennsylvania State University announced an inquiry into the potential misconduct of Michael Mann, director of its Earth System Science Center.<ref name="wtimesed">[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/02/universities-take-action-on-climategate/ "Universities take action on Climategate",] ''Washington Times'', December 2, 2009.</ref> The inquiry decided he had not directly or indirectly falsified research data.<ref>Mike de Souza, [http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2518632 "‘Climategate’ inquiry shows scientist didn’t falsify data",] ''Canwest News Service'', February 3, 2010.</ref> However, on February 3, 2010, the inquiry moved into the 'investigatory stage' following the determination that additional investigation was needed for one of the four allegations of impropriety and to determine whether his actions had caused public doubt about his scientific findings<ref>[http://live.psu.edu/story/44327 "Inquiry into climate scientist moves to next phase",] ''Penn State Live'', February 3, 2010.</ref> A Penn State student groups protested the exoneration of Professor Mann, asserting that three panel members had incentive to protect the university's funding and had not examined the evidence while relying primarily on Mann's own statements.<ref>Samuel Settle, [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/penn-states-handling-of-mann-investigation-fails-to-satisfy-students-community-members-84012802.html "Penn State's Handling of Mann Investigation Fails to Satisfy Students, Community Members",] ''PRNewsWire'', February 10, 2010.</ref> In April 2010, the National Science Foundation asked its Inspector General to examine Penn State's findings findings.<ref>Ed Barnes, [http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/06/climate-gate-michael-mann/ "Exclusive: Top Climate Scientist's Exoneration Won't Be the Last Word",] ''FOX News'', April 6, 2010.</ref> (Mann, creator of the famous 'hockey stick' graph[] showing evidence of Global Warming for the past 900 years, received $2.4 million in Stimulus Money due to his grants from the National Science Foundation, as reported on in January 2010 by the Wall Street Journal.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004575010931344004278.html "Michael Mann's Climate Stimulus",] ''Wall Street Journal'', January 20, 2010.</ref>) ===University of East Anglia, Phil Jones===On December 1, 2009, the University of East Anglia similarly announced an investigation into [[Phil Jones]], its director of Climate Research.<ref name="wtimesed" /> Jones stepped down from his post in December, but the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee (U.K.) in March declared accusations against him "largely misplaced" and has since supported his reinstatement.<ref>Ben Webster, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7081921.ece "Climate-row professor Phil Jones should return to work, say MPs",] ''London Times'', March 31, 2010.</ref> The report stated: ::"We are content that the phrases such as 'trick' or 'hiding the decline' were colloquial terms used in private e-mails and the balance of evidence is that they were not part of a systematic attempt to mislead... We saw no evidence of any deliberate scientific malpractice in any of the work of the Climatic Research Unit and had it been there we believe that it is likely that we would have detected it. Rather we found a small group of dedicated if slightly disorganised researchers who were ill-prepared for being the focus of public attention."<ref>Jess Henig, [http://www.factcheck.org/2010/04/some-climategate-conclusions/ "Some “Climategate” Conclusions",] FactCheck.org, March 24, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/387/387i.pdf "The disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia",] ''House of Commons Science and Technology Committee'', March 24, 2010.</ref> ===State of Virginia Investigation===In April 2010 Virginia's Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli asked the University of Virginia to produce "documents relating to Mann’s receipt of nearly half a million dollars in state grant-funded climate research" conducted from 1999-2005, when Professor Mann was employed by the university.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/30/virginia-attorney-general-global-warming-michael-mann/ "State of Virginia to Investigate Global Warming Scientist Mann",] ''FOX News'', April 30, 2010.</ref> This investigation has been called a political "witchhunt."<ref>Bud Ward, [http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/2010/05/michael-mann-witch-hunt "Lynchburg, Va. TV Meteorologist Blasts State’s A.G. for Michael Mann 'Witch Hunt'",] ''The Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media'', May 18, 2010.</ref> ===Freedom of Information Act Request===In May 2010, Christopher Horner, following his previous Freedom of Information Act request three years ago, stated that he would file a lawsuit against [[NASA]] for release of potential 'Climategate' emails. Horner asserted that NASA might be withholding them long enough to prevent their impact on an upcoming Senate debate on climate change.<ref>Stephen Dinan, [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/26/nasa-accused-of-climategate-stalling/ "NASA accused of 'Climategate' stalling",] ''Washington Times'', May 26, 2010.</ref> ===U.S. Polling and Public Perception===
Following the controversy surrounding these emails, [[Gallup]] polling showed a sharp increase in the percent of Americans questioning climate change and in particular expressing skepticism about climate change.<ref>Frank Newport, [http://www.gallup.com/poll/126560/americans-global-warming-concerns-continue-drop.aspx#2 "Americans' Global Warming Concerns Continue to Drop",] ''Gallup'', March 11, 2010.</ref>
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