"The author of a report critical of climate scientists defended himself against plagiarism charges Tuesday, and denied he was pressured by Republicans to tilt the report.

Offered the chance to further respond to plagiarism allegations, reported Monday in USA TODAY, George Mason University statistician Edward Wegman said in an e-mail that 'these attacks are unprecedented in my 42 years as an academic and scholar.'

Wegman was the lead author of a 2006 congressional climate science report that has become central in the debate over whether findings of global warming are warranted by scientific evidence."

Dan Vergano reports for USA TODAY November 22, 2010. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Experts Claim 2006 Climate Report Plagiarized" (USA TODAY) [3]

A long thread documenting apparent plagiarism by authors of the Wegman Report appeared on the blog Deep Climate [4]. The report was said to have been commissioned by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), a climate science denier poised to take over the House Energy Committee.