A smattering of the emails former UVA professor Michael Mann and the school at first denied still existed, then fought to keep out of the public eye are beginning to come to light. In a press release, the American Tradition Institute, which filed the FOIA case to unseal the documents, has produced a selection for viewing. The release draws attention to PE-22 (page 61 of the filing). In it, Mann says he “can’t seem to dig” up some portions of his data. That’s understandable. Often, I can’t find my car keys. But because he can’t find the data, it makes the P.S. in this particular email quite interesting:
I know I probably don’t need to mention this, but just to insure absolutely clarify on this, I’m providing these for your own personal use, since you’re a trusted colleague. So please don’t pass this along to others without checking w/ me first. This is the sort of “dirty laundry” one doesn’t want to fall into the hands of those who might potentially try to distort things…
Make of Mann’s precautions what you will. But in later examples, we do find attempts to subvert Freedom of information laws. From PE-24 (page 67), we see Phil Jones, head of the East Anglia climate unit, warning Mann:
I’m getting hassled by a couple of people to release the CRU station temperature data. Don’t any of you three tell anybody that the UK has a Freedom of Information Act !
In the next example, PE-25, we see Jones telling Mann to delete a message, not tell even their allies about it and about another scientist’s call for Mann to make public his data code:
Mike,
This is for YOURS EYES ONLY. Delete after reading – please ! I’m trying to redress the balance. One reply from Pfister said you should make all available !! Pot calling the kettle black – Christian doesn’t make his methods available. I replied to the wrong Christian message so you don’t get to see what he said. Probably best. Told Steve separately and to get more advice from a few others as well as Kluwer and legal.
PLEASE DELETE – just for you, not even Ray and Malcolm
Cheers
Phil
There’s a lot to read in the selections in the ATI court document. Dig in…
