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January 12, 2021

Chairwoman Johnson Statement on the Publication of So-Called ‘Climate Change Flyers’

(Washington, DC) – Last week, a series of papers entitled the ‘Climate Change Flyers’ were published by senior administration officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on a non-governmental website. These flyers make a wide range of disputed claims to undermine widely accepted facts about climate science. The series of papers bore the copyright of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the official White House seal without permission or approval from OSTP leadership. Dr. David Legates and Dr. Ryan Maue were detailed to OSTP from NOAA at the time. It has been reported that both Dr. Legates and Dr. Maue have since been relieved of their duties at OSTP. 

Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement.

“I am appalled at the publication of the so-called ‘Climate Change Flyers’ which are a clear last ditch effort by climate deniers in the Trump Administration to sow seeds of doubt about the reality of climate change. I am glad to learn that Director Kelvin Droegemeier has taken swift action and removed the individuals from service at OSTP. I encourage thorough investigations at OSTP and the Department of Commerce in order to understand the legality of the use of the OSTP copyright and White House seal on the flyers, whether other federal employees were involved, and whether federal resources were misused in the creation and promulgation of the flyers.”