Intimidation Campaign by Extreme Right-Wing Continues – Climate Scientist Targeted Again (evangelical Christian, young mother and climate scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe)

Intimidation Campaign Continues – Climate Scientist Targeted Again

by Peter Sinclair, January 4, 2012

The right wing campaign of fear, surveillance and intimidation  against scientists and academics continues.

I’ve reported on the coordinated national campaign of right wing “think” tankssubverting the Freedom of Information act to surveil the correspondence and intimidate those engaged in what the tea party right considers dangerous and un-american practices – research, thought and speech.
A number of viewers were struck by the perfectly-gelled-and-almost-perfectly-tanned “think” tank flack and Fox News misinformer, Chris Horner, from this week’s video.  Mr. Horner, working with the far right wing “American Traditions Institute,” is now seeking to bully climate scientist and evangelical Christian Katherine Hayhoe. 
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American Traditions Institute
WASHINGTON — American Tradition Institute, a non-profit research institute dedicated to restoring science, liberty and accountability to the environmental debate, filed on December 10, 2011, a Public Information Act request with Texas Tech University relating to collaboration on a book, using public time and resources, between “climate” activist Professor Katharine Hayhoe and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. 

Texas Tech was to produce responsive records by early last week. To date, ATI has not received a response. 

“This is a matter of significant public interest, as Mr. Gingrich’s views and past activism on the ‘climate’ issue receive scrutiny by voters seeking to assess his judgment and compatibility with their views,” said Chris Horner, ATI’s Senior Director of Litigation.
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Hayhoe, who preaches that human activity is destroying the climate and that Christian stewardship compels acceptance of the ‘climate’ agenda, had been publicly identified as a contributor to Gingrich’s forthcoming book “Environmental Entrepreneurs.” Hayhoe had gained notoriety for urging evangelical Christians into supporting the controversial, costly and according to all computer models, climatically meaningless ‘climate’ agenda. News outlets now report that Gingrich, under fire for his left-of-center views on the environment from presidential competitors and Tea Party activists, quickly deep-sixed Hayhoe’s chapter last week.
“Nice to hear that Gingrich is tossing my #climate chapter in the trash. 100+ unpaid hrs I cd’ve spent playing w my baby,” Hayhoe posted on her Twitter account December 30, 2011. 

ATI requested all emails to or from any Texas Tech email account used by Hayhoe (including as “cc”,) and either or both Gingrich and his co-author Terry Maple. 

ATI also requested all emails sent or received by Hayhoe citing or referring to one or more of the following: Newt Gingrich (or “Newt” or “Gingrich”), Terry Maple (or “Terry” or “Maple”), American Solutions (including in the email address/domain), and/or “Environmental Entrepreneurs.”
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Mr Horner is also attempting to use the same tactic to surveil the correspondence of climate scientist Michael Mann, formerly of the University of Virginia.  A similar initiate,  by another tobacco and oil funded “think” tank, Michigan’s Mackinac Center, sought to obtain any emails containing, among other things, references to MSNBC newser Rachel Maddow.

The intent again is clear. Climate science data is public for anyone to examine. The intent here is not to illuminate – it is to intimidate, surveil, and turn the Freedom of Information act, meant to be a means to shed sunlight on the dark corners of government and bureaucracy, into a new tool of surveillance and oppression, to silence free speech, and curtail thought at academic institutions across the country.

http://climatecrocks.com/2012/01/04/intimidation-campaign-continues-climate-scientist-targeted-again/