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1/ Sharpiegate isn’t all just fun & games. To the extent @NOAA political leadership is willing to alter forecasting work does by scientists in some bizarre 1984-comes-to-life scenario, people who rely on forecasting won’t know if they can trust it & will be less safe.
2/ For instance, as a US Atty in Birmimgham, when severe weather ranging from tornadoes to snow was in the forecast, I was one of many agency heads who would sit in on briefings we used to determine whether & when to close offices to protect our employees.
3/ This isn’t a theoretical risk. Deadly tornadoes rip through our area. Failing to close an office sufficiently in advance of winter weather here can have serious consequences & bosses have no independent knowledge about weather-they have to be able to rely on professionals.
4/ Now imagine what this is like on the gulf coast during a hurricane, in a flood zone, ahead of a deadly winter storm all across the country. If NOAA is relegated to political flunkie status instead of scientific integrity, many Americans will be less safe.
5/ When DOJ suffers a loss of integrity we all lose. The integrity of scientific institutions is also at risk in this administration & for what? So a president who can never be wrong can pretend to be right? I’m grateful to employees who’ve run the risk of bringing us the truth.
