Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Virginia’s Highest Court Denies Access to Climate Scientist’s Emails
Wall Street Journal ^ | April 18, 2014 | By JACOB GERSHMAN

Posted on 04/19/2014 7:15:27 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

Virginia’s highest court has denied a conservative group’s effort to force the University of Virginia to turn over emails from a controversial climate scientist who worked at the school.

The Virginia Supreme Court on Thursday held that the public university wasn’t obligated under the state’s freedom of information law to release thousands of emails that Penn State researcher Michael Mann wrote while he was a UVA professor several years ago.

Mr. Mann in 2009 came under scrutiny among global warming skeptics after hackers leaked thousands of email exchanges between the professor and other researchers that suggested that the scientists sought to stifle dissenting views about global warming.

Upholding a lower-court ruling, the Virginia Supreme Court said releasing the emails would have put UVA “at a competitive disadvantage in relation to private universities and colleges.”

The opinion cited affidavits submitted by scholars and academic officials warning of the dangers of making public the correspondence. “If U.S. scientists at public institutions lose the ability to protect their communications with faculty at other institutions, their ability to collaborate will be gravely harmed,” wrote UVA provost John D. Simon in one of the filings.

“The Supreme Court’s decision is consistent with the public nature of science and with the public mission of the University of Virginia,” a UVA spokesman said Thursday.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: climategate; hoax; hockeystick; lawsuit; mann; ruling; uva
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

1 posted on 04/19/2014 7:15:27 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Yo Mann, if you have nothing to hide...hide nothing!


2 posted on 04/19/2014 7:16:51 AM PDT by proudpapa (Scott Walker - 2016)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
A typical, narrow opinion based on technicalities to get a desired political outcome rather than Justice.

Big government protecting itself.

3 posted on 04/19/2014 7:20:41 AM PDT by Paladin2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

They be coming out soon. Mann made the idiotic mistake of suing Mark Steyn, which has not turned out well for others, and discovery in the lawsuit will compel release of the emails.


4 posted on 04/19/2014 7:21:26 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: proudpapa

Hide the decline.


5 posted on 04/19/2014 7:22:03 AM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (A half-truth is a complete lie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

“The court decision [to keep correspondence which might reveal raw unaltered data, political motivations or biases of researchers secret] is in keeping with the public nature of science,” said the University spokesman.

Um, yeah, right...

/sarc


6 posted on 04/19/2014 7:24:54 AM PDT by CaptainMorgantown
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: proudpapa

It was the correct decision by my standards. I’m no fan of Mann and his hockey stick. But black out the word “conservative group” and “environmentalist” and use something like “Atheist group” and “Professor of Theology” or “PETA” and “Nutritional Researcher” and even “CAIR” and “Nuclear Physics Researcher”, and see if you feel the same way.


7 posted on 04/19/2014 7:25:19 AM PDT by Usagi_yo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

This in a day and age where the IRS hands over conservative private information to their buddies in the RAT campaigns. JUST FREAKIN’ UNBELIEVABLE


8 posted on 04/19/2014 7:26:44 AM PDT by Cheerio (Barry Hussein Soetoro-0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sherman Logan

I was wondering how this ruling would impact that case. Will the emails have to be released anyway or will this somehow provide cover against the discovery process?


9 posted on 04/19/2014 7:27:06 AM PDT by taxcontrol
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
Register on a TEA Party list of donors as "Michael Mann", State College, Pa.

The Emails, tax returns, and text messages will be in que post haste.

10 posted on 04/19/2014 7:28:13 AM PDT by blackdog (There is no such thing as healing, only a balance between destructive and constructive forces.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Collusion. Government protecting itself.


11 posted on 04/19/2014 7:30:10 AM PDT by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Usagi_yo

If we were talking about a private college, I would agree with you. This is a public institution, though, and his “official” correspondence should be public record.


12 posted on 04/19/2014 7:33:44 AM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Paladin2
Big government protecting itself.

Nailed. Thanks.

BIG GOVERNMENT IS CRONY SOCIALISM

"Socialism Is Legal Plunder"- The Law; Bastiat

"EVERYTHING about socialism is sham and affectation." - 23.11; Ch23 Evil; Economic Harmonies; Bastiat

(CAPS mine)

13 posted on 04/19/2014 7:38:03 AM PDT by PGalt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Sherman Logan
...discovery in the lawsuit will compel release of the emails.

Mann's lawyer had to advise him that discovery would include his own emails. If there is one iota of intent to mislead, it could bring down the house of global warming.

14 posted on 04/19/2014 7:38:48 AM PDT by VRW Conspirator ( 2+2 = V)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Later the judge explained that, “We have to keep the information confidential so it can remain public.”


15 posted on 04/19/2014 7:40:56 AM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer; All

Uh, college emails are always public record.

This is a completely unconstitutional decision.


16 posted on 04/19/2014 7:47:07 AM PDT by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

If they won’t release the emails, why not have Mark Steyn demand them in discovery and deposition? Mann is suing Steyn.


17 posted on 04/19/2014 7:48:04 AM PDT by Mamzelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mamzelle

That’s what I hope will happen.


18 posted on 04/19/2014 7:49:49 AM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear (Great vid by ShorelineMike! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOZjJk6nbD4&feature=plcp)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: taxcontrol

Separate issues. Personally, I agree with the court. Every email written by a professor at a state university should not be available for the public to dig through at random under FOIA.

Actual state employees at a government agency, different story.


19 posted on 04/19/2014 7:51:30 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Lets see. Public school. Public computers. E-mails related to public policy. Nope, can’t see why the public would have a compelling interest in the e-mails.


20 posted on 04/19/2014 7:52:37 AM PDT by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of gun control?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson