Quick Fact: Fox news show advances baseless claim that CRU emails show data manipulation

Amy Kellogg baselessly reported on Fox News' America's Newsroom -- cited by Fox as a news show -- that recently hacked emails “suggested that these scientists who do believe that climate change is a man-made phenomenon were trying to manipulate the data.” While Kellogg cited no email that supported her claim, previous attacks on the overwhelming consensus on climate change have relied on gross distortions of a few of the reportedly stolen emails.

From the December 10 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom:

KELLOGG: I think the reason that this is such a big story and has made people so very concerned is that we know that the climate change issue is very politicized, but I think what most people tend to believe, or want to believe, is that science is objective. Now, this all took place at East Anglia University, which is one of the top centers for climate change research. And as you suggested, Bill, a lot of emails hacked into that suggested that these scientists who do believe that climate change is a man-made phenomenon were trying to manipulate the data and silence critics. [America's Newsroom, 12/10/09]

Fact: Critics have rested similar claims on outlandish distortions and misrepresentations of stolen emails

Critics have cited a small number of emails and distorted their contents in claiming they undermine climate change consensus. While Kellogg cited no specific emails that “suggested that these scientists who do believe that climate change is a man-made phenomenon were trying to manipulate the data,” climate change skeptics and conservative media figures have rested similar claims on distortions and misrepresentations of a few of the reportedly stolen emails. Numerous climate researchers have refuted the claim that the hacked emails in any way undermine the global consensus regarding climate change.