UVA Students, Faculty and Alumni To Protest Ken Cuccinelli Witch Hunt Against Climate Scientist On Friday
by Brendan DeMelle, DeSmogBlog, August 19, 2010
University of Virginia faculty, students and alumni will gather Friday afternoon to protest against Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's witch hunt against former UVA Professor and leading climate scientist Michael Mann. The protest is timed to coincide with the ruling of a Virginia Circuit Court judge who is set to rule on whether to allow Cuccinelli's frivolous investigation to continue.
Cuccinelli's political attack on climate science has two ongoing fronts right now, one targeting climate scientist Michael Mann, and another involving a lawsuit filed by Cuccinelli against the EPA attempting to block the agency's efforts to regulate carbon dioxide pollution.
Charlottesville, Virginia ABC affiliate WHSV reports:
Students, faculty members and alumni of the University of Virginia will gather to protest Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s investigation of UVA and former UVA Professor Michael Mann, Friday at 1 p.m., on the north (street) side of the University’s Rotunda at 1826 University Ave.
Four groups recently filed an amicus brief asking the Albemarle County Circuit Court judge to put an end to Cuccinelli's politically-motivated charade, including the ACLU of Virginia, American Association of University Professors, Union of Concerned Scientists and Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression.
"If the court permits the attorney general to gain access to the private communications among scientists whenever he disagrees with their ideas, the scientists will simply stop sharing their ideas," said Kent Willis, executive director of the ACLU of Virginia. "The chilling effect on academic freedom and scientific inquiry is incalculable."
Previously, a group of 675 Virginia professors signed a letter asking Cuccinelli to drop his "burdensome and entirely unwarranted" demands to probe years' worth of Mann's email, research papers and other documents.
But Cuccinelli has pressed on with his attempts to harass climate scientists and waste Virginia taxpayer dollars to suit his own political agenda.
Details on the UVA protest tomorrow afternoon:
Protest begins at 1 p.m. on the north (street) side of the University’s Rotunda at 1826 University Ave.
The Circuit Court judge is expected to release his statement at 2 p.m. on the decision whether to allow Cuccinelli's witch hunt to continue.
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