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White House, Dems Battle over Global Warming Policy Docs
A House oversight hearing yesterday presented overwhelming evidence that the administration has been censoring government scientists' work on global warming.
But there's a piece missing for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) to complete the puzzle, and the administration seems determined not to hand it over, possibly leading to a legal clash between the administration and the Democratic Congress.
According to a survey by the Government Accountability Project and Union of Concerned Scientists, hundreds of government scientists have experienced meddling by superiors in research involving global warming. During the hearing yesterday, one NASA scientist testified (pdf) how he was forced to alter the title of a press release from "Cool Antarctica may warm rapidly this century, study finds" to "Scientists predict Antarctic climate changes," and how, in 2004, "NASA Headquarters insisted that a NASA press officer monitor all interviews either in person or on the phone."
So what's missing? The orders from the top that agency officials should keep a close watch on what government scientists were saying about global warming.
Waxman, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has been trying since last summer to get his hands on those documents from the administration's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). But, in a prolonged cat and mouse game, the CEQ has resisted.
And in a letter sent to Waxman Monday (pdf), CEQ objected to turning over the documents because they concerned "the process of Presidential decisionmaking," and "include the candid exchange of views in deliberations within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) regarding the development, bases and articulation of policy." In other words, they're just what Waxman's looking for.
But because "releasing such documents could harm the candor and quality of deliberatons within the EOP," the CEQ isn't turning them over. That sounds like a claim of executive privilege, but it's not -- at least not yet.
Waxman has set a new deadline, February 9, for the turnover of the documents. Will the administration throw down the gauntlet with this Congress over its "candid" internal discussions about global warming and claim executive privilege? Or will they finally give in and hand over the good stuff?
Comments (11)
plebe wrote on January 31, 2007 6:29 PM:we the people pay for those documents. those frank decisions are what we assign to the executive, they belong to us. give them to us!
Node of Evil wrote on January 31, 2007 7:26 PM:A "frank" discussion in this White House means one where Karl Rove and other political operatives call the shots after the policy is fixed to the politics. That's the issue, methinks. These guys are afraid that they won't be able to play inside baseball with Federal agencies if we can get a glimpse of these "discussions". They're not stalling because we'll become outraged over what they've said, they're stalling because once the game is up then it's completely over. They won't be able to do this anymore. And when that process stops, pretty much all policy stops 'cause that's the only game they know how to play.
xdoi wrote on January 31, 2007 7:27 PM:Henry,
Don't be a wus. Tomorrow, not Feburary 9th!
Richard L. Adlof wrote on January 31, 2007 9:56 PM:Global Warming is not the only environmental issue that the Executive Branch has been playing this happy horse hockey with . . . Bush de-funded the EPA libraries and had them packed up and sent off to be ground up, burned and lost . . . I'm sorry . . . the offical line is 'outscorced to be organized and scanned by a third party contractor'. Check out the folk at:
http://www.peer.org/
The horror stories will will keep you up at night . . .
Michael Jones wrote on January 31, 2007 11:36 PM:I watched the hearing on C-Span last night. All that I could think about was all of the "earnest concern" about the United States falling behind in math and science education. Then that same government ignores and inimidates our country's leading scientists! Have you noticed that the Bush admin can't comprehend altruism?
Richard L. Adlof wrote on February 1, 2007 12:18 AM:Global Warming is not the first blighted environmental to come under attack by the current Executive Branch - Check out the homepage for the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility at:
http://www.peer.org/
One of my favorite henious acts is Bush's attack on the EPA libraries. He de-funded them and had them shipped off to be 'organized and scanned by a contraced third-party vendor' (Probably properly translated as ground, burned and buried in a deep pit).
Keith Lehman wrote on February 1, 2007 3:18 AM:The issue over Global Warming, specifically its cause, is bogus ... it all started with one person researching and that research was found to be lacking certain aspects of scientific fact. A computer can only come up with the right answers if it is given right statistics/information. The Earth in its long history has experienced climate change and the Chicken Littles of the junk science world couldn't do anything about it when and if it occurs. Not too long ago the same scientist-alarmists predicted a big Ice Age that would cause "catastrophes" around the globe. Junk scientists have not figured in the real factor - the effects of the ever-changing star we call the "Sun" - glaciers have been moving for centuries, so what else is new? Ice sheets have broken off of the ice shelf the size of Rhode Island - has there been a global disaster because of it? Those icebergs float around and eventually are found to be moving until they melt down. And so on. Why should any President declare an emergency over junk scientist "facts" - too much politics, we need real science.
skaren wrote on February 1, 2007 12:20 PM:Odd I never heard of the majority of our scientists warning of an ice age in my life time. When thousands of scientists in all fields of science warn of Global Warming, don't you think we aught to at least pay attention.
Instead you call all these thousands of scientists and the work they do "junk science".
Man is pretty dumb over all,.. and you Keith are a prime example of why.
Unfortunatly I predict that many people like him will only realize the folly when so much damage is done that it is too late.
Plus the fact that we cannot stop burning, burning, burning stuff. Gas, propane, wood, etc.
I find it funny that god predicted the next holocaust for man would be fire,.. how right he may be. PS I am not very religious at all.
Douglas Watts wrote on February 1, 2007 1:53 PM:RE: Keith Lehman.
Your "scientific viewpoint" has as much evidentiary support as that of the Young Earth Creationists.
justadood wrote on February 1, 2007 3:17 PM:the 'conspiracy theorist' in me thinks the administration might take yet another page from the Nazi how-to doc on running agencies: Make sure your most controversial/damning orders are given *verbally*...so that no paper trail exists to track them back to source
URNUTz wrote on February 7, 2007 5:19 AM:Let's see, the President (The BOSS of the executive branch) wants to control what the EMPLOYEES of the executive branch say. So? That's his right as the CHIEF EXECUTIVE. Numerous governments CONTROLLED what the IPCC "scientists" had to say in their "scientific" report - - who is yelling? Um, no one, because the IPCC report is the current GROUPTHINK. No, instead we get a Congressional inquiry from Global Warming supporters.
You are naive if you think the UN's panel is not political and anti-U.S.
skaren, if you have not heard of the predicted Ice Age, check out Newsweek archives for April 28, 1975. You might also consider reading about orbital forcing - Milankovitch cycles. Most scientists believe that the ice ages are the result of subtle changes in Earth's orbit.
Current research also shows variations in the Sun's core temperature cause global warming/cooling.
The IPCC report says "it's 90% likely" humans are causing global warming. Wow. Stellar. Some "scientific report." Buy your carbon credits now!
Instead of personal attacks, you should read the IPCC reports and methodologies. It is, as described by Keith, pure JUNK SCIENCE. But, it is politically correct junk science, just as Al Gore, Barbara Boxer and, of course, Mr. Waxman will tell you.
Anyone who doesn't buy the self-proclaimed "gold standard," is labelled, called names, investigated, accused of taking payments from industry, whatever. Suppression of the opposition? The Eco-Terrorists are doing a wonderful job. This investigation is intended to chill any criticism of the Global Warming THEORY. Orwell would be proud of you.