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« The otherworldliness of Mark Carney | Main | Jumping the climate shark »
Tuesday
Sep292015

RICO letter disappears

Steve Milloy notes that the letter by Shukla et al calling for sceptics to be had up on racketeering charges has suddenly disappeared from the website where it was hosted.

You can imagine the horror on the signatories' faces when they realised that some very determined people were about to take a close interest in their financial arrangements and those of their colleagues at IGES.

I'm not sure taking the letter down is going to help much though.

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Reader Comments (82)

Maibe Maibach wants it back.
===========

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:15 PM | Unregistered Commenterkim

I wonder if they've ever heard the term 'The Streisand effect'?

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:20 PM | Unregistered CommenterDave Salt

I note the sullen silence of academics and climatologists everywhere. Shukla's the tip of the iceberg, and likely not the most egregious example.

You wonder where prosperity has gone. Some, an amount to be determined later, has disappeared into the maw of the Green Blob.
====================

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:25 PM | Unregistered Commenterkim

Well, *there's* a surprise! I'm sure it's just a coincidence that it disappeared shortly after Steve McIntyre started publishing his interest in the signatories.

(And, really, they don't seriously believe that taking it down will make any difference at all, do they? They're even more naïve than I thought.)

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:37 PM | Unregistered CommenterElftone

"The moving finger writes, and having writ
Moves on: nor all thy piety and wit
Can move it back to cancel half a line"

or, put it another way
'Litera scripta manet'

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:42 PM | Unregistered Commenterosseo

osseo, or to bring it up to date - in cyberspace anyone can hear you scream... and will retweet.

I have to say I'd feel very nervous with Steve M getting all forensic over my affairs and I haven't done anything.

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:56 PM | Unregistered CommenterTinyCO2

I think the disappearance was first noticed in a comment at CA on 26th Sept.

Sep 29, 2015 at 1:57 PM | Registered CommenterPaul Matthews

Elftone:

The orcs scurries with fear into the dark corners whence they came when Gandalf McIntyre shines the light on them.

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:01 PM | Unregistered CommenterJohn Silver

Osseo @ 1.42:

"nor all thy tears wash out one word of it"

Hubris "excessive conceit and self confidence" angers the Gods. A classic plot where pure arrogance deceives oneself into blindness to ones vulnerability. How quickly they are exposed, lasting less time than a Lewandowsky paper.

http://climateaudit.org/2015/09/28/shuklas-gold/

Illustrating a perverse Marxist version of the Vicarious Atonement - to the climate sinners, mercy without justice but to the righteous man, justice without mercy.

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:21 PM | Unregistered Commenterdiogenese2

Yes, the letter's been gone for a while now.

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:21 PM | Registered Commentershub

"I'm not sure taking the letter down is going to help much though"

I sincerely hope not!

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:23 PM | Unregistered CommenterBitter&twisted

Climate science political activists have just demonstrated their own stupidity, and inability to match cause and effect, and correlation with causation.

Some of them may get to receive some education, on Law, from the FBI.

I don't know who George Mason was, but his University may have some unexpected vacancies, just as the academic year was starting.

I am sure the FBI would love to do some christmas shopping in Paris, at taxpayers expense, and witness the lifestyles of climate scientists at work.

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:35 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

This almost makes me think there may be something in the "projection" idea.

This person obtains money from the state in order to perform charitable actions.
He looks for the most efficient workers to aid this charity.
And he finds his wife and daughter - they are most worthy of the aid that cannot go to the needy.

He must feel guilty. How does he cope with the guilt?
Perhaps by assuming that everybody else does it too. It's nothing worth pondering, he projects.

But they don't.

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:35 PM | Registered CommenterM Courtney

Until the full financial rip off behind this scam was revealed, one could just about claim that it was just ordinary academics doing their job for no (additional) financial reward. But now it is clear they are up to their backside with their snouts in the trough of public money.

So, to add to the repeated and extremely credible allegations of fixing the global temperature and generally lying to the public, we now have the second element of fraud: huge financial gain by those involved.

IT IS TIME WE SCEPTICS STOPPED JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS SCAM AND DEMANDED THAT THIS WHOLE RACKET WAS INVESTIGATED PROPERLY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:41 PM | Registered CommenterMikeHaseler

I totally agree Mike but all the relevant agencies are paid by Cameron and the only response you can expect from him is "goo goo gaa gaa"

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:53 PM | Registered CommenterDung

Last week, I downloaded a copy of that RICO20 letter, saved it under the identical file name, and uploaded it to a WordPress folder.

It may be seen here.

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:55 PM | Unregistered CommenterDonna Laframboise

@MikeHaseler: From who would we make such a demand? The whole green slime is so corrupted from head to toe that it would only be the result of a series of bitterly cold Northern Hemisphere winters that could most likely force a change, coupled with some major power outages to rub salt into the peoples' minds, however, the Wet Office has already negated that by coming out last month to tell us that as a result of reduced Solar activity in the current cycle, & likely for the next two to three cycles, thus it doing what they've already told us it cannot do, making their previous "predictions & projections", all seem plausible! We need some champions, & a collective action to bring the whole ediface down!

Sep 29, 2015 at 3:02 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan the Brit

Thank you Donna and when is the next book?

Like many people I did not read the letter previously and jumped at the opportunity you have saved for us. I have to say that I have rarely seen such stupidity; firstly to write such things down, secondly to send them to POTUS and thirdly to then try and cover it up, we do not need to comment, Shukla has said it all.

Sep 29, 2015 at 3:08 PM | Registered CommenterDung

"I don't know who George Mason was..."

George Mason was the force behind the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights. He was worried that a large federal government would trample the liberties of the people. I wonder what he would think of his name showing up repeatedly on a document encouraging such trampling.

Sep 29, 2015 at 3:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterDon

It's such a beautiful thang...

Sep 29, 2015 at 3:30 PM | Unregistered CommenterJimmy Haigh

Facts are wonderful things. They cut through cant and humbug like a hot knife through warm Crisco. My appreciation for them has only increased with age.

Sep 29, 2015 at 3:39 PM | Unregistered Commenterrabbit

Don 3:17, thank you! There may be trouble ahead. Does George Mason University have a Law Department?

No university wants to be famous for sanctioning fraud, but crossing the George Mason Line, seems to have been very lucrative.

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:04 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Steve AND Donna? Be afraid, be very afraid.

Where would the world be without Canada? Just remember, the Mountie always gets his (or her) man!

Why am I thinking: Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy?

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:27 PM | Unregistered Commentergraphicconception

They may have deleted the letter from the website where it was originally displayed but it is still available on the Wayback Machine or Internet Archive.

http://web.archive.org/web/20150920110942/http://www.iges.org/letter/LetterPresidentAG.pdf

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:31 PM | Unregistered CommenterRoy

Thanks to Donna I have re-read the letter.

"...a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act)
investigation of corporations and other organizations that have knowingly deceived the
American people about the risks of climate change..."

Sounds a pretty god idea to me!

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:32 PM | Unregistered Commenterauralay

I would recommend "unintended Consequences" by John Ross; to all the signatories.

I always seem to be a little late with my advice and in this case, "better late than never" does not
appear to be relevant.

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:35 PM | Unregistered Commenterpesadia

"When in a hole, keep digging" seems to be the motto of Dana and the Guardian.

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:44 PM | Registered CommenterPaul Matthews

The climate science legal defence fund, may have an unprecedented cash flow crisis.

No climate scientist predicted this. It is worse than they thought possible, but climate science has never thought outside the box they model the climate on.

Sep 29, 2015 at 4:48 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Thanks for that link, Phillip. Through it one can link to this archive copy of the offensive letter and to the list of the offending signatories of it: https://archive.is/YMe9V

PS I see I am a bit slow. A couple of other folks have also, and already, provided links to copies of the letter. The more the better I suppose!

Sep 29, 2015 at 5:02 PM | Registered CommenterJohn Shade

diogenese2 -- "Hubris "excessive conceit and self confidence" angers the Gods. A classic plot where pure arrogance deceives oneself into blindness to ones vulnerability. How quickly they are exposed, lasting less time than a Lewandowsky paper."

yes. The moral immaturity is striking. What is it about the Left that makes self-awareness so rare?

I just made this point at Judy Curry's RICO op-ed thread. I read The Climategate Emails (the pdf by the Aussie physicist done in 2010) last night. Reading through the thread of the emails again, it is just jaw-dropping how immature the hockey team was (and still is). Small children demonstrate greater moral maturity. And it goes far beyond the hubris.

Is moral immaturity a requirement to be a left-winger? Does the self-righteousness impede normal moral development? Or perhaps it is that those who are morally retarded find lefty politics satisfying?

Why is moral maturity so rarely seen in the politically active alarmist scientists?

Sep 29, 2015 at 5:03 PM | Unregistered Commenterstan

Knowing that Paul Driessen was likely to place a guest post at WUWT on the RICO letter (it is there as of short time ago today 9/29), I created that different variation of an archive backup for him, in case the Wayback Machine one fails, at https://archive.is/YMe9V Paul's WUWT also very nicely links in his 6th paragraph to my work on exposing a significant fault in the RICO letter: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/09/29/climate-activists-want-us-prosecuted-under-rico/

Sep 29, 2015 at 5:14 PM | Unregistered CommenterRussell Cook

.........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Sorry but that is just priceless...

Sep 29, 2015 at 5:37 PM | Unregistered CommenterWijnand

"Why am I thinking: Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy?" --graphicconception

Why am I hearing Nelson and Jeanette singing "Only Make Believe?"

Sep 29, 2015 at 6:09 PM | Unregistered Commenterjorgekafkazar

RICOchet.
=======

Sep 29, 2015 at 6:16 PM | Unregistered Commenterkim

Is it not a truism that people who live off green houses should not throw stones?

Sep 29, 2015 at 6:35 PM | Unregistered CommenterMike Post

Sep 29, 2015 at 2:41 PM | MikeHaseler

IT IS TIME WE SCEPTICS STOPPED JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS SCAM AND DEMANDED THAT THIS WHOLE RACKET WAS INVESTIGATED PROPERLY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

******************
+1000. Couldn't agree more.

There should be a concerted and co-ordinated cross-sceptic campaign. All blogs should put their individual differences to one side and match the RICO letter demanding investigative action. The difference is you guys could compile actual evidence which the alarmist RICO idiots simply didn't have. It's well-past time there was a criminal enquiry into 'global warming'. Get it organised to torpedo Paris.

Sep 29, 2015 at 6:39 PM | Unregistered Commentercheshirered

RICOchet.
=======
Sep 29, 2015 at 6:16 PM rkim


Tee hee.

Sep 29, 2015 at 6:52 PM | Unregistered CommenterTinyCO2

Last week, I downloaded a copy of that RICO20 letter, saved it under the identical file name, and uploaded it to a WordPress folder.
(...)
Sep 29, 2015 at 2:55 PM Donna Laframboise


Professionalism in action.

Sep 29, 2015 at 7:04 PM | Registered CommenterMartin A

The letter places IGES in legal jeopardy, as they are not allowed to engage in such actions.

Sep 29, 2015 at 7:04 PM | Unregistered CommenterMikeN

Climatologists and their assorted hangers-on aren't great strategic thinkers are they? Not the sharpest knives in the drawer when it comes to foresight.

Which is a bit of a disadvantage when their stock-in-trade/unique selling point is supposed to be their ability to telling us all how dreadful things are going to be at some indeterminate future time...

I guess that they convinced themselves that their own moral rectitude and that they were 'Saving the Planet' meant they were immune to any investigation of their own positions. How wrong they were.

Beware Canadian statisticians with an interesting project on their hands......

Sep 29, 2015 at 7:26 PM | Unregistered CommenterLatimer Alder

I am sure your Grace had Numbers 32:23 in mind when he penned this piece:
'But if you fail to do this, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord and you may be sure your sin will find you out'
Tony Windsor

Sep 29, 2015 at 7:28 PM | Unregistered CommenterTony Windsor

I am sure your Grace had Numbers 32:23 in mind when he penned this piece:
'But if you fail to do this, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord and you may be sure your sin will find you out'
Tony Windsor

Sep 29, 2015 at 7:34 PM | Unregistered CommenterTony Windsor

It's a travesty that the letter has disappeared. Is it hiding in the deep ocean?

Sep 29, 2015 at 7:40 PM | Registered CommenterPhillip Bratby

golf charlie,

GMU does indeed have a Law Department. That department, in spirit with the university’s namesake, has rejected calls to limit free speech. It's disappointing that the principles of George Mason don't guide the school as a whole.

Sep 29, 2015 at 8:07 PM | Unregistered CommenterDon

Other news just in ....

George Mason University will be holding new courses, "How to saw off the branch you are sitting on" , "An introduction to circular firing squads" ("Intermediate circular firing squads" has been suspended due to lack of demand), and "How to shoot fish in a barrel, with an octopus and 8 Uzi sub machine guns, for people who can never shoot straight" (please bring your own barrels).

The Shukla family have been invited to demonstrate how to pull a grenade off a pin with your teeth, before throwing the pin, and Dame Julia Slingo will just be relieved she declined the opportunity to sign THAT letter, as she is not a US citizen.

Spare tickets for the Paris conference are being snapped up by the FBI, as more become available due to an unprecedented rise in unforeseen circumstances

Sep 29, 2015 at 8:20 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Don, I think various Faculties at GMU may be lost.

Sep 29, 2015 at 8:30 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

RICOchet.
=======
How about RICOcheat?

Sep 29, 2015 at 9:08 PM | Unregistered CommenterRoyFOMR

It's funny that in order to follow the climate debate one has to gain familiarity and a thorough understanding of various civil provisions such as the FOIA, libel laws, RICO, SLAPP etc.

Sep 29, 2015 at 9:17 PM | Registered Commentershub

https://newsdesk.gmu.edu/2015/09/mason-professor-appointed-to-indias-prime-ministers-council-on-climate-change/

Apologies if this has been posted before.

Sep 29, 2015 at 9:22 PM | Unregistered CommenterMike Post

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