NOAA's chief scientist will investigate why agency backed Trump over its experts on Dorian, email sh

[demmiblue]

Source: WaPo

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration acting chief scientist said in an email to colleagues Sunday that he is investigating whether the agency’s response to President Trump’s Hurricane Dorian tweets constituted a violation of NOAA policies and ethics.

In an email to NOAA staff that was obtained by The Washington Post, the official, Craig McLean, called the agency’s response “political” and a “danger to public health and safety.”

President Trump’s incorrect assertion on Sept. 1 that Alabama was at risk from Hurricane Dorian set off a chain of confusion and outrage among the public, and within NOAA. At the time, the National Weather Service’s forecast guidance showed only a very small risk to tropical storm-force winds.

While the NWS’s Birmingham division quickly corrected the president on Sept. 1 without naming him, NOAA officials caused an internal uproar on Sept. 6 when the agency issued an unsigned statement that defended Trump’s false claim about Alabama and admonished the Weather Service’s Birmingham division for speaking “in absolute terms.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/09/09/noaas-chief-scientist-will-investigate-why-agency-backed-trump-over-its-experts-dorian-email-shows/?tid=sm_tw

[machoneman]

1. OK but will heads roll? I doubt it..........

[dchill]

2. The answer: John Barron.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. Trump has his apparatchiks installed in various places in agencies I wager...

they aren't they to do anything other than protect the brand.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Yes, there is what remains of the pre-Trump government and agencies

and then there are the political operatives running and infiltrating them by any means necessary to please Trump.

Hierarchies are a good thing when good people run them.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. And regardless of what they come up with

(which may end up to be a strongly-worded letter), the House Energy and Commerce Committee (that means you Frank Pallone) needs to hold some hearings on this and drag that NOAA Comm Director in front of the panel (and this knowing the Senate Commerce Committee with similar oversight, will do nothing).

[PSPS]

5. "acting chief scientist" -- is he another unqualified trump toady?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. He's been at NOAA for over thirty years.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Craig McLean named new leader for NOAA Research

Today, NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D, announced that Craig McLean, deputy assistant administrator for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), has been selected to head the office, which is responsible for NOAA’s research enterprise, including laboratories and programs across the country.
....

Prior to this position, McLean served as deputy assistant administrator for OAR’s Programs and Administration, as executive officer of the National Ocean Service, and was the founding director of NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration. McLean served in uniform for nearly 25 years, retiring from NOAA's Commissioned Corps in the grade of captain. He served aboard hydrographic, oceanographic, and fisheries research ships.
....

McLean is also an attorney and has practiced marine resource law for NOAA. He has been awarded the Department of Commerce Silver and Bronze Medals, the NOAA Corps Commendation Medal, and Special Achievement Medal. He is a frequent speaker on ocean related subjects, drawing on his diverse NOAA career experience in fisheries, coastal and marine area management, directing research, law, and both surface and submerged marine operations. He is a fellow of the Explorers Club, and of the Marine Technology Society, and a past-president and chairman of the Sea-Space Symposium.

“I am pleased to support the appointment of Craig McLean to this important position in NOAA,” said Roger M. Wakimoto, Ph.D, assistant director for the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Geosciences. “Craig has a clear strategic vision for OAR and is excited about the opportunity to serve the organization and the community."

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and our other social media channels.

For more information please contact: Ciaran Clayton, 202-482-6090, [e-mail]

[MBS]

8. definitely could be worse.

He also participated in renovation of the marine science exhibits at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
He doesn't seem to have a Ph.D. but I think that his commitment to the mission of the NOAA, and to the importance of real data, are clear. His 2015 promotion by Kathryn Sullivan, and support for his 2015 appointment by the NSF geosciences directorate (see #7, above) is also reassuring.

Here's an excerpt from his current NOAA bio:
https://www.noaa.gov/our-people/leadership/craig-mclean

Mr. McLean has previously served in NOAA as Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator of the National Ocean Service, was the founding Director of OAR’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and served in uniform for nearly 25 years in NOAA's Commissioned Corps, attaining the rank of Captain. Mr. McLean served aboard hydrographic, oceanographic, and fisheries research ships and was the first commanding officer of the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter. Craig led NOAA's innovation and planning for the Smithsonian Institution's Sant Ocean Hall, and achieved a National Ocean Action Plan goal of securing a permanent, dedicated ship for the National Ocean Exploration Program, the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.

Craig is also an attorney and has practiced marine resource law for NOAA. He has been awarded the Department of Commerce Silver and Bronze Medals, the NOAA Corps Commendation Medal, and Special Achievement Medal. Mr. McLean is a Fellow of the Explorers Club, and of the Marine Technology Society, and a past-president and chairman of the Sea-Space Symposium.

[Marcuse]

9. If he is honest he'll be denounced as a 30 year member of the "Deep State".

[defacto7]

10. tRump seems to keep spies in his own government.

[yaesu]

11. I am already questioning anything NOAA says, putin wins another victory. nt

[ffr]

12. Because tRump moles are everywhere n/t

[gibraltar72]

13. Like the Eveready bunny.

It just keeps running.

[keithbvadu2]

14. "issued an unsigned statement"

Issued by his in-place sycophants.

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/02/24/no-anonymous-sources-trump-scolds-after-white-house-uses-them/

‘No anonymous sources,’ Trump scolds - after White House uses them

"WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of the news media Friday, taking direct aim this time at the use of anonymous sources. Reporters “shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name,” he declared, just hours after members of his own staff held a press briefing and refused to allow their names to be used.