Disgraced ‘Deniergate” fraudster Peter Gleick is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences. How did that happen and will he be dis-membered?
As to how Gleick became a member, MIT’s Richard Lindzen described the back door through which Gleick entered in a 2008 paper entitled “Climate Science: Is it currently designed to answer questions?“:
…The situation with America’s National Academy of Science is somewhat more complicated. The Academy is divided into many disciplinary sections whose primary task is the nomination of candidates for membership in the Academy. Typically, support by more than 85% of the membership of any section is needed for nomination. However, once a candidate is elected, the candidate is free to affiliate with any section. The vetting procedure is generally rigorous, but for over 20 years, there was a Temporary Nominating Group for the Global Environment to provide a back door for the election of candidates who were environmental activists, bypassing the conventional vetting procedure. Members, so elected, proceeded to join existing sections where they hold a veto power over the election of any scientists unsympathetic to their position. Moreover, they are almost immediately appointed to positions on the executive council, and other influential bodies within the Academy. One of the members elected via the Temporary Nominating Group, Ralph Cicerone, is now president of the National Academy. Prior to that, he was on the nominating committee for the presidency. It should be added that there is generally only a single candidate for president. Others elected to the NAS via this route include James Hansen, Steven Schneider, John Holdren and Susan Solomon… [Footnotes omitted]
As to whether Gleick will be flushed from the NAS, the NAS FAQ “Are members ever removed?” is answered by:
There are no provisions in the governing documents of either Academy or the Institute for the removal of members, who are elected for life.
With Gleick and this explanation, it is easily understood that this organization has lost its priority of science. Timely. Thanks.