Va. AG investigates Climategate scientist

RICHMOND, Va., May 4 (UPI) -- A former University of Virginia scientist involved in the "Climategate" scandal is under investigation by state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

Michael Mann, who now teaches at Penn State, has already been cleared in an investigation by that university, The Virginian-Pilot reported. The National Academy of Sciences has also reviewed his work.

Cuccinelli last month asked the University of Virginia in Charlottesville to hand over records of work Mann did supported by federal grants while he was teaching there between 1999 and 2005, the newspaper said.

Climategate began when someone hacked into e-mails at a research center at the University of East Anglia in Britain. Skeptics argued some of the e-mails showed scientists misrepresenting data and other misconduct.

"It seems as if some would rather create distractions to fool the public, rather than confront the reality of human-caused climate change," Mann said in an e-mailed statement. "That is most unfortunate."

Cuccinelli has also sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its determination that greenhouse gases are harmful.