Material Shows Weakening of Climate Reports

[RiverStone]

Source: The New York Times

By ANDREW C. REVKIN and MATTHEW L. WALD
Published: March 20, 2007

WASHINGTON, March 19 — A House committee released documents Monday that showed hundreds of instances in which a White House official who was previously an oil industry lobbyist edited government climate reports to play up uncertainty of a human role in global warming or play down evidence of such a role.

They were the first public statements on the issue by Mr. Cooney, the former chief of staff of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Before joining the White House, he was the “climate team leader” for the American Petroleum Institute, the main industry lobby.

He was hired by Exxon Mobil after resigning in 2005 following reports on the editing in The New York Times. The White House said his resignation was not related to the disclosures.

Mr. Cooney said his past work opposing restrictions on heat-trapping gases for the oil industry had had no bearing on his actions once he joined the White House. “When I came to the White House,” he testified, “my sole loyalties were to the president and his administration.”



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/washington/20climate.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

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How dare anyone in the BushCo regime criticise Al Gore for his scientific method? Clearly, there is no method at all to continued rethug lies and misrepresentations on climate change. Their fear of the truth is reflected again and again. Yes, global warming is real - the dinosaurs were real - and the earth is round!

[longship]

1. Recommended and kicked

:kick:

[pocoloco]

2. “my soul loyalties were to the president"

Sold out cheap!

[soothsayer]

4. no, no, his SOUL loyalties are to satan! wait, same thing. good

Freudian slip

[terip64]

3. kick and recommend

[daleo]

5. A paid oil company liar

It's no suprise he was in the Cheney/Bush White House.

[Bandit]

6. “my sole loyalties were to the president and his administration.”

Fuck America or the World his loyalty is to Bush* and Bush* only..Can't be more outspoken than that now can he? That is the one major fault of Republicans. Their loyalty is not to America but to fellow Republicans instead...No matter whether they commit treason or not...Outing a Covert CIA Agent for whatever reasons is treason...IMO trying to justify or cover it up is just as treasonous...

[jelly]

7. I don't recall any of the senators calling him on that, although

one of them -- I think it might have been Waxman -- pointed out that Bush policies are very much pro-oil. Therefore, being aligned with Bush's policies to some extent would entail being against spreading the truth about global warming. However I don't recall him going the extra mile and saying that in any event, when it comes to characterizing climate science that taxpayers have paid for, your loyalty should be to the taxpayers and not to Bush. The scientist made the point several times, though.

[Toucano]

8. Malfeasance in office:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malfeasance_in_office

The court then went onto use yet another definition, "malfeasance is the doing of an act which an officer had no legal right to do at all and that when an officer, through ignorance, inattention, or malice, does that which he has no legal right to do at all, or acts without any authority whatsoever, or exceeds, ignores, or abuses his powers, he is guilty of malfeasance."

Nevertheless a few "elements" can be distilled from those cases. First, malfeasance in office requires an affirmative act or omission. Second, the act must have been done in an official capacity--under the color of office. Finally, that that act some how interferes with the performance of official duties--though some debate remains about "whose official" duties.

In addition, jurisdictions differ greatly over whether intent or knowledge is necessary. As noted above, many courts will find malfeasance in office where there is "ignorance, inattention, or malice", which implies no intent or knowledge is required.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!! Someone HAS TO GO TO JAIL!! So much improper behavior can't go unpunished.

How about racketeering charges? There has to be a way! This is an organized crime syndicate.