NASA Was Muzzled on Climate Change

Bush appointees in press office withheld information, probe finds
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 3, 2008 8:19 AM CDT
NASA Was Muzzled on Climate Change
The new report credits NASA administrator Michael Griffin with ensuring a quick review after it became clear that political appointees were distorting results of the agency's climate research.   (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Political appointees at NASA withheld scientific results on global warming, NASA's inspector general has determined after an internal probe. Investigators found that the public affairs office, run by Bush appointees, suffered from political spinning that was "inconsistent" with the agency's responsibility to pass full information on to the public, the New York Times reports.

NASA "managed the topic of climate change in a manner that reduced, marginalized, or mischaracterized climate change science made available to the general public," said the report. One of the appointees disputes the charges, while others cite the report as "more evidence that the Bush administration’s appointees have put political ideology ahead of science." (More NASA stories.)

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