Scientists Accuse White House of Distorting Facts

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

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Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 16:00:31 -0500 (EST)
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Subject: Scientists Accuse White House of Distorting Facts
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To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>


(Heavy sigh.)


Scientists Accuse White House of Distorting Facts

The New York Times
February 18, 2004
 By JAMES GLANZ


The Bush administration has deliberately and systematically
distorted scientific fact in the service of policy goals on
the environment, health, biomedical research and nuclear
weaponry at home and abroad, a group of about 60
influential scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates, said
in a statement issued today.

The sweeping charges were later discussed in a conference
call with some of the scientists that was organized by the
Union of Concerned Scientists, an independent organization
that focuses on technical issues and has often taken stands
at odds with administration policy. The organization also
issued a 37-page report today that it said detailed the
accusations.

Together, the two documents accuse the administration of
repeatedly censoring and suppressing reports by its own
scientists, stacking advisory committees with unqualified
political appointees, disbanding government panels that
provide unwanted advice, and refusing to seek any
independent scientific expertise in some cases.

"Other administrations have, on occasion, engaged in such
practices, but not so systematically nor on so wide a
front," the statement from the scientists said, adding that
they believed the administration had "misrepresented
scientific knowledge and misled the public about the
implications of its policies."

A White House spokesman, Scott McClellan, said today he had
not seen the text of the scientists' accusations. "But I
can assure you that this is an administration that makes
decisions based on the best available science," he said.

Dr. Kurt Gottfried, an emeritus professor of physics at
Cornell University who signed the statement and spoke in
the conference call, said the administration had "engaged
in practices that are in conflict with the spirit of
science and the scientific method." Dr. Gottfried asserted
that what he called "the cavalier attitude toward science"
could place at risk the basis for the nation's long-term
prosperity, health and military prowess.

The scientists denied that they had political motives in
releasing the documents as the 2004 presidential race began
to take clear shape, a day after Senator John Kerry won the
Wisconsin Democratic primary and solidified his position as
President Bush's likely opponent in the fall. The
organization's report, Dr. Gottfried said, had taken a year
to prepare - much longer than originally planned - and had
been released as soon as it was ready.

"I don't see it as a partisan issue at all," said Russell
Train, who served as administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency under Presidents Richard M. Nixon and
Gerald R. Ford, and who spoke in the conference call in
support of the statement. "If it becomes that way I think
it's because the White House chooses to make it a partisan
issue," Mr. Train said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/science/18CND-RESE.html?ex=1078137807&ei=1&en=f8819c0d3db50a46

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

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