Phil Jones reportedly steps down pending climategate investigation

By Thomas Lifson

AP is reporting that Phil Jones, head of the "prestigious" Climate Research Unit at the University of Anglia is stepping down pending the outcome of an "independent" investigation. No further details are forthcoming.

I hope the university means an open, public investigation of the evidence of misconduct, rather than an investigation into who the brave whistlebloweris that called attention to the chicanery.

Lord Christopher Monckton, one of the most influential critics of the hoaxers, has written a lively, lucid, and convincing account where we stand today. He calls for criminal prosecution of those who violated Freedom of Information laws and committed fraud. Titled "Caught green-handed", Monckton explains the fraud in clear and understandable language.

Hat tip: Clarice Feldman

Update:

Penn State University is said to be investigating Michael Mann, of hockey stick graph fame. The Penn State Collegian reports: [hat tip: Drudge]

Penn State said in a satement last week that it did not want to speculate as to the meaning or intent of any of the leaked e-mails in question.

The university will look into the issues at hand, spokeswoman Lisa Powers said, and determine from whatever information is uncovered if further investigation is required.

In this particular situation, a Penn State committee will review every e-mail in question -- a total of about 300 messages, Powers wrote in an e-mail.

This process could take "quite some time," Powers wrote.

Mann said he understands the process and is glad the university is taking appropriate action.

"I would be disappointed if the university wasn't doing all they can to get as much information as possible," Mann said. "I'm very happy they're doing it."

The membership of the committee should avail itself of the writing of critics like Lord Monckton and AT's own Marc Sheppard in evaluating the emails and the source code. The meetings of the committee should be open to the public.

If the investigations are not fully open, they cannot be trusted.

Meanwhile, Senator Inhofe is calling on Senator Boxer, Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee to hold hearings. If she refuses, which may well happen, she will have to be embarrassed into it by all means of activities on the part of those who value the integrity of science.

This issue is most definitely not going to go away, even if the media and Democrats try to freeze discussion of it out of the public sphere. The left has taught us many lessons on how to made stories impossible to ignore. We have the internet, the Anglosphere press, talk radio, and Fox News (which is growing as the others shrink). There may be criminal prosecution in Britain, and political turmoil in Australia over the matter. Atempts to brush away the greatest scientific fraud in history will fail, and those who collaborate in the cover-up will suffer in the end.