Climate spin doctor took charge after professors’ ‘mistake’ called for prosecuting skeptics

The Washington Times reports on emails revealed through CEI's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit and discusses their content with Chris Horner. 

The latest emails, released in the aftermath of a Virginia open records request filed by the CEI and senior fellow Chris Horner, shed more light on a behind-the-scenes network of academics — some on the government payroll — activists, bloggers and public relations professionals focused on fighting climate change dissent.

Mr. Horner said Wednesday the email shows Mr. Newell and Jagadish Shukla, a George Mason University meteorology professor and co-lead author on the so-called RICO-20 letter, engaged in “spin and deception” to head off criticism over the letter’s implications for free speech.

“When they had the opportunity to define the universe of political opponents — past or present — on whom they sought to sic law enforcement, they did so. It blew up,” Mr. Horner said. “So they turned to spinmeisters to help them convince people to disbelieve their lyin’ eyes when reading the RICO-20 letter.”

Read the full article at The Washington Times.