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Judge Rejects Cuccinelli's Subpoena of UVA Documents

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By Rebecca Blatt

A judge in Albemarle County has set aside Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's subpoena for documents related to a climate scientist at the University of Virginia. But the decision may not put an end to the case.

Cuccinelli had tried to subpoena documents related to Dr. Michael Mann, one of the world's leading climate scientists. The attorney general, a skeptic of climate change, accused Man of misrepresenting data. He said he believed Mann had committed fraud using government grants for his research. The university refused to release documents.

In a decision today, Judge Paul Peatross Junior said that while the attorney general has the power to investigate grants to fund professors, Cuccinelli did not specify how Mann defrauded state taxpayers to obtain government grants. Peatross left open the door for Cuccinelli to try again, if he satisfies the legal requirements.

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