Climate Change

National Science Foundation Clears 'Climate-Gate' Scientist Of Any Misconduct

Jillian Rayfield | August 24, 2011, 6:15AM

Climatologist Michael Mann

The National Science Foundation has cleared climatologist and Penn State professor Michael Mann of any misconduct in the "Climate-Gate" controversy, which became a lightning rod for climate change skeptics in 2009.

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Ken Cuccinelli

Judge Rejects Cuccinelli's Subpoena Of UVA 'Climate-Gate' Docs

Jillian Rayfield | August 30, 2010, 2:58PM

VA Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

A judge in Virginia has set aside Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's subpoena of University of Virgina documents relating to research by Michael Mann, a former professor who was involved in the "Climate-Gate" controversy last year.

Cuccinelli, a climate change skeptic, said he was investigating whether Mann had committed fraud when obtaining government funds for research into human-caused climate change, but Albemarle County Circuit Court Judge Paul M. Peatross Jr. ruled that "it is not clear what [Mann] did was misleading, false or fraudulent in obtaining funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia."

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Ken Cuccinelli

UVA Fighting Cuccinelli's Climate-Gate Subpoena -- Prez: Demand 'Sent A Chill' Through Academia

Zachary Roth | May 28, 2010, 11:45AM

VA Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

The University of Virginia will fight a demand from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that it hand over documents relating to the work of a former UVA climate scientist.

In a court filing, the university argued that Cuccinelli's subpoena for the records of government-funded work conducted by climate scientist Michael Mann goes beyond the AG's legal authority, and threatens academic freedom.

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Ken Cuccinelli

Eight Hundred Scientists And Profs To Cuccinelli: Drop Climate-Science Probe

Zachary Roth | May 18, 2010, 1:33PM

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

Eight hundred scientists and professors have signed a letter to Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, urging him to call off his investigation of a former University of Virginia climate scientist.

"The request is unfounded and could undermine the effectiveness of not only climate scientists but also thousands of other Virginia researchers," says the letter, which was organized by the environmental group the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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Ken Cuccinelli

UVA Suggests It May Not Comply With Cuccinelli Climate-Gate 'Witch Hunt'

Zachary Roth | May 11, 2010, 11:31AM

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

The wrangling over Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's investigation of a climate scientist continues...

After indicating last week that it would comply with a subpoena sent by the AG, demanding documents relating to the work of former University of Virginia climate scientist Michael Mann, the university is now equivocating. "Our intention is to comply but we are looking at some options," a UVA spokeswoman told the Washington Post yesterday.

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Bob McDonnell

McDonnell Mum On Cuccinelli's Climate Science 'Witch Hunt'

Zachary Roth | May 6, 2010, 2:12PM

Virginia Att. Gov. Ken Cuccinelli and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

Since news broke that Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is conducting a fraud investigation into the work of a former UVA climate scientist who was caught up in the "Climate-Gate" controversy, reactions have been pouring in -- with even some climate skeptics slamming the probe as a threat to academic freedom.

But one interested observer has been noticeably mum: Governor Bob McDonnell.

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Ken Cuccinelli

Cuccinelli Probe Of Climate Scientist Blasted As 'Witch Hunt'

Zachary Roth | May 4, 2010, 10:23AM

Climate scientist Michael Mann and Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

An investigation by Ken Cuccinelli of a climate scientist who was caught up in last year's "Climate-Gate" flap is being likened to a "witch hunt" -- even by global warming skeptics.

As we reported yesterday, the conservative Virginia attorney general last month demanded that the University of Virginia hand over a slew of documents relating to the grant-funded research of Michael Mann, a climate scientist who worked at UVA from 1999 to 2005. Among the materials requested by May 27 were email correspondence with a long list of other climate scientists, including several who, like Mann, were prominent figures in Climate-Gate. You can see Cuccinelli's "Civil Investigative Demand," first obtained by the The Hook, a Charlottesville newspaper, here.

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