Virginia: Court Rules For University.

CUCCINELLI, Ken, 1968-; UNIVERSITY of Virginia; CLIMATE change; FRAUD; PUBLIC finance

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that the state attorney general, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, does not have the authority to demand records of e-mails or grant applications sent by a climate scientist who taught at the University of Virginia. Mr. Cuccinelli since 2010 has sought to force the university to release documents for five grant applications made by the scientist, Michael E. Mann, and related e-mails, saying he suspected that Dr. Mann used fraudulent climate data to secure grants. A lower court also denied the request, saying Mr. Cuccinelli presented nothing to back up his accusation. Dr. Mann, the author of influential research charting a marked rise in global temperatures, has long been a target of climate change skeptics like Mr. Cuccinelli. The State Supreme Court agreed with the university that Mr. Cuccinelli exceeded his authority. ''Today, the court effectively held that state agencies do not have to provide state-owned property to state investigators looking into potential fraud involving government funds,'' Mr. Cuccinelli said in a statement critical of the ruling. Dr. Mann said he was pleased, adding, ''It's sad, though, that so much money and resources had to be wasted on Cuccinelli's witch hunt.'' [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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