| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Culture Wars |
| Michael Mann Threatens Those Who Expose His Fraud With Lawsuit |
| 2010-04-21 |
| Penn State University's Michael Mann, one of the central figures in the Climategate scandal, has threatened legal action against Minnesotans for Global Warming (M4GW) over the group's popular satirical YouTube video “Hide the Decline.' The No Cap-and-Trade Coalition, a group that includes M4GW, responded today at an event at the National Press Club, releasing Mann's threatening letter and an updated version of the “Hide the Decline' video. “We understand why Michael Mann is eager to silence public discussion of the hockey stick scandal,' said Jeff Davis of No Cap-and-Trade, “but truth is an absolute defense.' The original “Hide the Decline' video, which had more than 500,000 viewers, was removed today from YouTube by M4GW's Elmer Beauregard. It received national attention when Rush Limbaugh played it on his radio show and was later featured on CBS Evening News in the wake of the Climategate email scandal. “Hide the Decline' parodied Mann, the Penn State professor who is largely responsible for the creation of the now debunked “hockey stick' graph, which purported to show a dramatic spike in average global temperature during the 20th century after 900 years of relatively constant temperature. The video spotlighted a phrase from one of the central “Climategate' e-mails in which the University of East Anglia's Phil Jones explains how he used Mann's “Nature trick' to “hide the decline' of key temperature data. The hockey stick graph relied on “hiding this decline.' When asked why he removed the video, Beauregard said “Right now, the last thing I need is a lawsuit. I can barely afford my electric bill.' Beauregard recently converted M4GW's world headquarters (a recreational vehicle parked in Northern Minnesota) from propane to wood heat. “Mann should be glad to know that we don't burn fossil fuels anymore — just trees,' said Beauregard. Minnesotans for Global Warming did comply with Mann's cease and desist demand, taking the “Hide the Decline' video down from their YouTube account and webpage. The No Cap and Trade Coalition unveiled a new video they're calling “Hide the Decline 2,' however. It was screened at a press conference on April 20th and is available on YouTube and NoCapAndTrade.com. “If Doctor Mann decides to sue,' said Davis, “we would welcome the opportunity to do legal discovery. I believe he's hiding more than just ‘the decline.'' |
| Posted by: Anonymoose |
| #6 Lawsuit? Mr. Mann! Are you sure that is not a lot of hot air? |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-21 16:02 |
| #5 Filing a lawsuit. Playing fast and loose with data, statistics, computer code and reporting. Same MO in both cases: Throw it against the wall and see what sticks... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2010-04-21 15:38 |
| #4 "we would welcome the opportunity to do legal discovery. I believe he's hiding more than just 'the decline.'" He may be betting that the Academic Grant Mill Consortium(tm) will do its best to protect him from federal prosecution for material that derives from such a discovery. However, like the scorpion and the frog his huberis won't be much of a shield against judicial contempt sanctions if he's caught lying in the process. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-04-21 09:08 |
| #3 Here's the new video. In your face, Michael. I'll bet if you sue anyone all they have to do would be to solicit donations and then it would be all over for you. Discovery would be a bi+ch for you on several fronts. Oh, and I noticed the old video is still there. Go get 'em! |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-04-21 04:47 |
| #2 Litigation in the US is definitely a two edged sword. A good lawyer can find all kinds of interesting stuff in discovery. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2010-04-21 02:44 |
| #1 Geez. Heat, Miami Vice, Crime Story...what happened to this guy? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-04-21 00:08 |