Two more e-mails this morning from NAS President Marcia McNutt — one walking back the “drop dead’ message followed by a reiteration of it. And of course, my response.
For background, read “NAS President to JunkScience: Drop Dead.”
In response to the above e-mail exchange, NAS President Marcia McNutt walked back her next e-mail a bit:
She then sent me a follow-up e-mail:
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I responded as follows:
Dr. McNutt,
First and as imaged below, the NAS committee conducting the review is described as a “sub-unit” of the Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology (BEST).
If the BEST had no role with the NAS committee, then your web site is misleading.
Second, your claims that Ralph Cicerone, not BEST, appointed the NAS committee and that the BEST did not review the report exalt form over substance.
No doubt the NAS President is the only one with legal authority to actually appoint the members of an NAS committee.
But how did the NAS come to take up the EPA project? Who made the recommendation to take up the project? Who made the staffing recommendations for the NAS committee? On what basis?
I have e-mail from NAS staff indicating that BEST did in fact have input into this decision-making process.
Keep in mind that the chair of the BEST is a former EPA executive. Two-thirds of NAS committee members are either former senior EPA employees or former/current grantees.
At the very least, this is an appearance of a conflict of interest — one that has yet to be explained away by your legalistic/bureaucratic evasions.
Third, I have reliable insider who has confirmed that the “fix” was in from the beginning as far as the outcome of the NAS review was concerned.
If I had to go to a judicial proceeding over this, I would subpoena that person. The testimony would be quite embarrassing.
So it is incumbent upon you to do a bona fide investigation of my complaint and let the chips fall where they may.
Insulting me (i.e., “You appear to be unaware..”) does not make you or the NAS look good. I can assure you that I am quite aware of the wrongdoing that occurred.
It is up to you to preserve the integrity of your institution.
Sincerely,
Steve Milloy
Publisher, JunkScience.com
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Keep at it. This is the only way change will be effected. I use your website to argue with my colleagues and it shuts their door every time.
Well done Steve, keep at them