The Hill - Republican Slams Pro-Obama Group for Listing 'Climate Deniers'

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By Ben Geman

A House Republican who disputes human-induced global warming is bashing a pro-Obama group's use of the term "climate deniers" to describe many in his party.

At a House Science Committee hearing Tuesday, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) told Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz that some scientists -- he cited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Richard Lindzen as one -- are "very skeptical of some of the research that has been going on."

Rohrabacher then took aim at Organizing for Action (OFA), the advocacy group borne from President Obama's reelection campaign that now works to advance the White House's agenda.

"Yet we have just a few weeks ago an offshoot of President Obama's reelection campaign listed "climate deniers.' The only other ... use of that term is Holocaust denier. Do you use the term denier for those people who disagree with you on climate science and do you think that term is appropriate in engaging in a civil discourse over a scientific issue?" the California Republican said.

"I much prefer a civil discourse. That is what I hope we are engaging in," replied Moniz, who had several exchanges on climate change with GOP skeptics on the committee.

OFA in recent weeks has launched several attacks (see here and here for more) on the many Republicans who are skeptical of human-induced climate change.

The overwhelming majority of climate scientists say human-induced greenhouse gas emissions are a primary cause of global warming.
Moniz said he agrees with them.

"I believe the science is clear that man-made activity is a major contributor to the global warming that we are seeing," said Moniz, who was a professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before becoming secretary.

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