UVA Students, Faculty and Alumni To Protest Ken Cuccinelli Witch Hunt Against Climate Scientist On Friday

Brendan DeMelle DeSmog
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University of Virginia faculty, students and alumni will gather Friday afternoon to protest against Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelliโ€™s witch hunt against former UVA Professor and leading climate scientist Michael Mann.  The protest is timed to coincide with the ruling of a Virginia Circuit Court judge who is set to rule on whether to allow Cuccinelliโ€™s frivolous investigation to continue. 

Cuccinelliโ€™s political attack on climate science has two ongoing fronts right now, one targeting climate scientist Michael Mann, and another involving a lawsuit filed by Cuccinelli against the EPA attempting to block the agencyโ€™s efforts to regulate carbon dioxide pollution. 

Charlottesville, Virginia ABC affiliate WHSV reports:

Students, faculty members and alumni of the University of Virginia will gather to protest Attorney General Ken Cuccinelliโ€™s investigation of UVA and former UVA Professor Michael Mann Friday at 1 p.m. on the north (street) side of the Universityโ€™s Rotunda at 1826 University Ave.

Four groups recently filed an amicus brief asking the Albemarle County Circuit Court judge to put an end to Cuccinelliโ€™s politically-motivated charade, including the ACLU of Virginia, American Association of University Professors, Union of Concerned Scientists and Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression.

โ€œIf the court permits the attorney general to gain access to the private communications among scientists whenever he disagrees with their ideas, the scientists will simply stop sharing their ideas,โ€ said Kent Willis, executive director of the ACLU of Virginia. โ€œThe chilling effect on academic freedom and scientific inquiry is incalculable.โ€


Previously, a group of 675 Virginia professors signed a letter asking Cuccinelli to drop his โ€œburdensome and entirely unwarrantedโ€ demands to probe yearsโ€™ worth of Mannโ€™s email, research papers and other documents.

But Cuccinelli has pressed on with his attempts to harass climate scientists and waste Virginia taxpayer dollars to suit his own political agenda.  

Details on the UVA protest tomorrow afternoon:


Protest begins at 1 p.m. on the north (street) side of the Universityโ€™s Rotunda at 1826 University Ave. 

The Circuit Court judge is expected to release his statement at 2pm on the decision whether to allow Cuccinelliโ€™s witch hunt to continue. 

Brendan DeMelle DeSmog
Brendan is Executive Director of DeSmog. He is also a freelance writer and researcher specializing in media, politics, climate change and energy. His work has appeared in Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, Grist, The Washington Times and other outlets.

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