Climate Change Dispatch
John O'Sullivan
In a sensational public confession a leading climatologist, Peter Gleick has admitted to taking part in a high-profile climate emails forgery that has backfired; says it was done to intentionally injure skeptic foundation.
Britain’s pro-green national daily, ‘The Guardian’ was the first major newspaper to break the news that Dr. Peter Gleick had confessed to unlawfully libeling the prominent climate skeptic supporter, the Heartland Institute (HI). Heartland is a 28-year-old national nonprofit organization with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, DC. Its mission is “to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems.”
Stopping short of specifically admitting he was the author of the faked Heartland Institute document, Gleick nonetheless spilled the beans that he was a co-conspirator, via the Huffington Post late last night (February 20, 2012). Gleick admits that his political bias on climate catastrophism led him to commit “ a serious lapse of my own and professional judgment and ethics.”
In reply Heartland Institute President Joseph L. Bast immediately issued an official statement declaring,
"Gleick's crime was a serious one. The documents he admits stealing contained personal information about Heartland staff members, donors, and allies, the release of which has violated their privacy and endangered their personal safety.”
Climate Criminality to Promote Failing Alarmist Agenda
Gleick, an eminent climate scientist promoting the man-made global warming meme, had jumped off his lofty establishment pedestal to admit that he had knowingly intented to cause injury and defame HI, a registered charity.
Dr. Gleick added he would “not comment on the substance or implications of the materials.” But there can be no doubt that the tone of his letter suggests it was drafted under the direct guidance of an attorney.
Heartland Institute lawyers have announced they will mount a prosecution in a civil court for knowingly using a fraudulent instrument to inflict intentional injury upon the prominent skeptic foundation.
Jail Time Possible for Conspiring in a Criminal Conspiracy
The consequences for Gleick are very grave. HI President Bast added, “A mere apology is not enough to undo the damage.”
So not only does Gleick face being financially ruined by a civil prosecution, he is also liable to a criminal investigation as such falsification of documents is a well-known brand of white collar crime.
Gleick, a water expert, has implicated himself in passing along copies of documents that he admits he knew to be false. In most states, including Washington D.C., falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony. He may serve jail time if convicted.
No Way Back for BBC's "Visionary on the Environment"
But in addition, Dr. Gleick very probably will be compelled to step down from public life and resign his prominent positions now his reputation is in tatters. Gleick is president and co-founder of the Pacific Institute and UC Berkeley Alum. {C}{C}In 2001, Gleick was dubbed a "visionary on the environment" by the British Broadcasting Corporation. In 2006 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C. Here is a video of Gleick denouncing skeptics at UC Berkeley's Annual Sustainability Summit in April 2011.
But on a broader front, the debacle constitutes a devastating own-goal for the billion-dollar climate alarmist industry.
From the outset of the leak, trumpeted by global doomsaying mouthpiece, DeSmoglblog, Heartland's president Joseph Bast had announced that the two-page memo was a fake – "A mere apology is not enough to undo the damage," Bast said in a statement. But extremist climate alarmist outlets had failed to heed Bast’s warning that HI would sue for damages anyone who re-published the counterfeit correspondence. Now DeSmogblog, Gleick and other unprincipled accomplices will surely face heavy civil liabilities if Bast’s lawyers file suit for damages.
Richard Littlemore, of DeSmogblog, has already defiantly refused to remove the material Gleick admits is fake. The most egregious lie in Gleick's mendacious memo was the claim that skeptics were out to repress science, the kind of fakery Littlemore has form for promoting.
DeSmog Blog, laughingly claiming its mission is to “clear the PR pollution that clouds climate science,” is suspected of being implicated in the Gleick fraud. It is now in line to suffer defeats in three climate libel lawsuit - adding to the two vexatious claims against Canada’s most popular climatologist, Dr. Tim Ball, a vociferous campaigner against climate criminals.
Heartland Calls Gleick Confession “Unbelievable”
Gleick disingenuously claims he received the fake document “At the beginning of 2012” and that he “solicited and received additional materials directly from the Heartland Institute under someone else’s name.”
But this statement appears at odds with the timeline and forensic evidence and was promptly denounced by Bast who responded, “This too is unbelievable. Many independent commentators already have concluded the memo was most likely written by Gleick.” Bast also disputed Gleick's account that he had received the first document – the faked two-page memo – from an anonymous source.
But diehard zealots of the climate cult are rallying behind their man. One such crank is Scott Mandia, co-founder of the climate science rapid response team, who chipped in, “He [Gleick] is the hero and Heartland remains the villain.”
Although fellow pro-green activist, Andrew Revkin was more restrained admitting,”Those actions may have undercut an entire career.” Revkin went on to accept that "Gleick's use of deception in pursuit of his cause after years of calling out climate deception has destroyed his credibility and harmed others."
No doubt retractions of such vituperative invective, as found on the Vancouver Sun, will surely proceed apace and grovelling apologies will be published. Heartland’s statement on the matter is so bullish and legally compelling that any pro-green media outlets declining to comply are best advised to lawyer up pronto.
John O'Sullivan
 |
| Peter Gleick |
Britain’s pro-green national daily, ‘The Guardian’ was the first major newspaper to break the news that Dr. Peter Gleick had confessed to unlawfully libeling the prominent climate skeptic supporter, the Heartland Institute (HI). Heartland is a 28-year-old national nonprofit organization with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, DC. Its mission is “to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems.”
Stopping short of specifically admitting he was the author of the faked Heartland Institute document, Gleick nonetheless spilled the beans that he was a co-conspirator, via the Huffington Post late last night (February 20, 2012). Gleick admits that his political bias on climate catastrophism led him to commit “ a serious lapse of my own and professional judgment and ethics.”
In reply Heartland Institute President Joseph L. Bast immediately issued an official statement declaring,
"Gleick's crime was a serious one. The documents he admits stealing contained personal information about Heartland staff members, donors, and allies, the release of which has violated their privacy and endangered their personal safety.”
Climate Criminality to Promote Failing Alarmist Agenda
Gleick, an eminent climate scientist promoting the man-made global warming meme, had jumped off his lofty establishment pedestal to admit that he had knowingly intented to cause injury and defame HI, a registered charity.
Dr. Gleick added he would “not comment on the substance or implications of the materials.” But there can be no doubt that the tone of his letter suggests it was drafted under the direct guidance of an attorney.
Heartland Institute lawyers have announced they will mount a prosecution in a civil court for knowingly using a fraudulent instrument to inflict intentional injury upon the prominent skeptic foundation.
Jail Time Possible for Conspiring in a Criminal Conspiracy
The consequences for Gleick are very grave. HI President Bast added, “A mere apology is not enough to undo the damage.”
So not only does Gleick face being financially ruined by a civil prosecution, he is also liable to a criminal investigation as such falsification of documents is a well-known brand of white collar crime.
Gleick, a water expert, has implicated himself in passing along copies of documents that he admits he knew to be false. In most states, including Washington D.C., falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony. He may serve jail time if convicted.
No Way Back for BBC's "Visionary on the Environment"
But in addition, Dr. Gleick very probably will be compelled to step down from public life and resign his prominent positions now his reputation is in tatters. Gleick is president and co-founder of the Pacific Institute and UC Berkeley Alum. {C}{C}In 2001, Gleick was dubbed a "visionary on the environment" by the British Broadcasting Corporation. In 2006 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C. Here is a video of Gleick denouncing skeptics at UC Berkeley's Annual Sustainability Summit in April 2011.
But on a broader front, the debacle constitutes a devastating own-goal for the billion-dollar climate alarmist industry.
From the outset of the leak, trumpeted by global doomsaying mouthpiece, DeSmoglblog, Heartland's president Joseph Bast had announced that the two-page memo was a fake – "A mere apology is not enough to undo the damage," Bast said in a statement. But extremist climate alarmist outlets had failed to heed Bast’s warning that HI would sue for damages anyone who re-published the counterfeit correspondence. Now DeSmogblog, Gleick and other unprincipled accomplices will surely face heavy civil liabilities if Bast’s lawyers file suit for damages.
Richard Littlemore, of DeSmogblog, has already defiantly refused to remove the material Gleick admits is fake. The most egregious lie in Gleick's mendacious memo was the claim that skeptics were out to repress science, the kind of fakery Littlemore has form for promoting.
DeSmog Blog, laughingly claiming its mission is to “clear the PR pollution that clouds climate science,” is suspected of being implicated in the Gleick fraud. It is now in line to suffer defeats in three climate libel lawsuit - adding to the two vexatious claims against Canada’s most popular climatologist, Dr. Tim Ball, a vociferous campaigner against climate criminals.
Heartland Calls Gleick Confession “Unbelievable”
Gleick disingenuously claims he received the fake document “At the beginning of 2012” and that he “solicited and received additional materials directly from the Heartland Institute under someone else’s name.”
But this statement appears at odds with the timeline and forensic evidence and was promptly denounced by Bast who responded, “This too is unbelievable. Many independent commentators already have concluded the memo was most likely written by Gleick.” Bast also disputed Gleick's account that he had received the first document – the faked two-page memo – from an anonymous source.
But diehard zealots of the climate cult are rallying behind their man. One such crank is Scott Mandia, co-founder of the climate science rapid response team, who chipped in, “He [Gleick] is the hero and Heartland remains the villain.”
Although fellow pro-green activist, Andrew Revkin was more restrained admitting,”Those actions may have undercut an entire career.” Revkin went on to accept that "Gleick's use of deception in pursuit of his cause after years of calling out climate deception has destroyed his credibility and harmed others."
No doubt retractions of such vituperative invective, as found on the Vancouver Sun, will surely proceed apace and grovelling apologies will be published. Heartland’s statement on the matter is so bullish and legally compelling that any pro-green media outlets declining to comply are best advised to lawyer up pronto.
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