Peter Gleick requests short-term leave of absence from Oakland's Pacific Institute (Heartland/Koch)
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20040326?source=rssBy Dana Hull
dhull@mercurynews.com
Posted: 02/24/2012 05:50:23 PM PST
Updated: 02/24/2012 10:23:12 PM PST
Excerpt
"Gleick has been embroiled in controversy since admitting this week that he used a false name to obtain confidential documents from the libertarian Heartland Institute, a pro-industry think tank known for minimizing the risks of global warming.
The Heartland Institute released a string of emails Friday that Gleick sent to Heartland earlier this year that show how Gleick pretended to be a Heartland board member to get copies of documents sent to a gmail email address. Heartland has set up a website detailing the emails at Fakegate.org.
"The emails reveal how Gleick "phished" the documents by stealing the identity of a Heartland board member, an act to which he publicly admitted in his February 20 Huffington Post confession," said the Heartland Institute. "Minor redactions have been made to the emails to protect the individual privacy of those involved."
How soon we forget, even here on DU, topic and news that matters.
BHN
PuffedMica
(1,061 posts)The Heartland Institute is nothing more that a hired gun that spreads disinformation about global warming. HI is funded by the fossil fuel industry and other corporations that want to spew carbon pollution into the atmosphere with complete disregard to the damage it is doing. Koch enterprises stand to profit from less environmental regulations.
The Heartland Institute performed the same function for the Tobacco Industry by defending cigarette companies with claims that there was no link between smoking and cancer. HI is a truly professional organization that specializes in muddying the waters. They do not have to get the science right; they only have to prevent science from influencing policy.
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)I'd love to see him on the new Bill Moyers show and hear what
he has to say about the HI.
I'll bet there is a great deal more that needs to be revealed about
this "foundation."
Hopefully, what is left of real journalists in this country are
pursuing the whole story and will reveal more.
The public needs to know.
BHN
boppers
(16,588 posts)There's more press about the non-scandal than the content... he got email. He spoofed. Who cares? It's a nobody, and a nothing, trying to make hay, and apparently, they're (Heartland) also trying to make others care by making it into something of relevance.
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)They are exposing his email to them and painting him as the wrong doer
for falsely assuming a board member's identity in order to get them to
send him classified insider memos that revealed their agenda to spread propaganda
about climate change, launch focused and organized media attacks on teachers AND
defeat the recall of their puppet, Scott Walker.
I'm not sure who you are referring to as self-promoting.
HI?
The scientist who exposed their Rovian tactics?
I see it as HI is trying to keep the scrutiny on the scientist and divert the
public from examining the damning documents.
BHN
boppers
(16,588 posts)Nobody "institute" sends another nobody "classified" emails under an assumed identity. The emails take a political stance.
That's pretty much a non-story from the get-go, and the only reason it's in the press (that I can see) is to hype the nobodys, on both sides.
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)Not so sure you have done your research, which is fine,
but perhaps you should refrain from voicing your views
until you have more information about who the parties ARE
and why they are by no means, "Nobodies."
BHN
boppers
(16,588 posts)...fighting with a leader of a similarly small, equally adversarial, vanity organization....
Yeah, I don't count every random little PR and advocacy firm as "somebodies". I'm sure their egos might be insulted by that, but hey, their self image is not my problem. This is just lobbying orgs cat fighting.
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)You have not read up on their history- that much is clear.
Carry on.
BHN
boppers
(16,588 posts)These thread kicks are kind of meta-amusing, though.... In the "lets talk about how Paris Hilton matters" sense. They only matter because of their self-created controversy.
They're famous for making themselves famous.
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)Stop- you're killing me.
BHN
boppers
(16,588 posts)Oooohhh! Boogymen!
They're like the Gerge Soros for the conspiracy-minded left, only there's *TWO* of them!
...
Yeah. Still a cat fight among nobodies.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)They would be better to stay in the shadows else they reveal how scummy they are.
Heartland is careless, too.
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)into sending the docs to the pretend "board member."
Their idea of damage control is to now point at the whistleblower
and sway public opinion against him for fooling their deranged asses.
The fact that they are doing so makes me even more interested in
researching their political and $$$ donor associations,
so what you say is true, by trying to smear the scientist, they
are bringing more attention to themselves and what they
are attempting to hide from public scrutiny.
BHN
philly_bob
(2,419 posts)His "'fessing up" to the dirty tricks was honorable.
Besides, Gleick is a real scientist, note his research on water quality.
When this flap is over, I hope Gleick returns to his lab bench and the public forum. He has not been discredited by this incident.