Posted on 01/27/2010 4:12:22 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
The university at the centre of the climate change row over stolen emails broke the law by refusing to hand over its raw data for public scrutiny.
The University of East Anglia breached the Freedom of Information Act by refusing to comply with requests for data concerning claims by its scientists that man-made emissions were causing global warming.
The Information Commissioner’s Office decided that UEA failed in its duties under the act but said that it could not prosecute those involved because the complaint was made too late, The Times has learnt.
The ICO is now seeking to change the law to allow prosecutions if a complaint is made more than six months after a breach.
The stolen emails, revealed on the eve of the Copenhagen summit, showed how the university’s Climatic Research Unit attempted to thwart requests for scientific data and other information and suggest that senior figures at the university were involved in decisions to refuse the requests.
Professor Phil Jones, the unit’s director, stood down while an inquiry took place. The ICO’s decision could make it difficult for him to resume his post.
Details of the breach emerged the day after the Government’s chief scientific adviser, John Beddington, warned that there was an urgent need for more honesty about the uncertainty of some predictions. His intervention followed admissions from scientists that the rate of glacial melt in the Himalayas had been grossly exaggerated.
In one email, Professor Jones asked a colleague to delete emails relating to the 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Under RICO, a person who is a member of an enterprise that has committed any two of 35 crimes—27 federal crimes and 8 state crimes—within a 10-year period can be charged with racketeering. Those found guilty of racketeering can be fined up to $250,000 and/or sentenced to 20 years in prison per racketeering count. In addition, the racketeer must forfeit all ill-gotten gains and interest in any business gained through a pattern of “racketeering activity.” RICO also permits a private individual harmed by the actions of such an enterprise to file a civil suit; if successful, the individual can collect treble damages.
It’s a bit of a pity this is in the UK, and not liable for RICO.
but there ones here who are ..
Yup.
That's mighty convenient.
// :]
Did Jones, et. al., put their reputations and careers on the line just to keep the reasearch money flowing?
Seems like a very foolish idea for some very smart individuals like them.
Or whre their far more compelling enticements than just a few million in research funds spread over years among many individuals? That's not exactly a 'get rich quick' scheme.
Hummmm? I think even with the statute of limitations 'loop hole' that will keep them out of jail, these guys need some media "waterboarding" over why they would risk all to do this.
Ideological convictions perhaps? Or perhaps some much larger financial gain than just continued funding for their relatively small change science project.
Thanks for posting. BTTT!
(Fool-Aid...ROFLMAO!!!)
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