Washington, D.C. – Jan. 25, 2017 – Cause of Action Institute (“CoA Institute”) today filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of prominent climate scientist Dr. Judith A. Curry in support of a petition for rehearing in the Competitive Enterprise Institute v. Michael Mann lawsuit in the D.C. Court of Appeals. The brief argues that Dr. Mann has transgressed the basic norms of scientific behavior and First Amendment principles by trying to use the court system to silence critics of his methodological approach to climate science.
“Scientists should not use the court system to silence people who are critical of their work. Public exposure of a scientist’s methodologies and an openness to defend those methodologies is at the very core of scientific progress,” said Dr. Judith Curry. “The court needs to know how far Dr. Mann has strayed from the core philosophy of science with this lawsuit.”
“Dr. Curry has been the repeated victim of Dr. Mann’s efforts to silence and harass her for criticizing his work. She finds it hypocritical that Dr. Mann is trying to use the court system to silence his critics while engaging in similar behavior toward other scientists,” said CoA Institute Acting President John Vecchione. “We are proud to have had the opportunity to help Dr. Curry express her staunch support for the First Amendment and her belief in the importance of maintaining a rigorous and open debate about climate science.”
The amicus brief is available here. The brief was accompanied by a motion seeking the court’s leave to file.
About Cause of Action Institute
Cause of Action Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit working to enhance individual and economic liberty by limiting the power of the administrative state to make decisions that are contrary to freedom and prosperity by advocating for a transparent and accountable government free from abuse.
For information regarding this press release, please contact Zachary Kurz, Director of Communications at CoA Institute: zachary.kurz@causeofaction.org
