Comment

Climate Change Denial Front Group Heartland Institute Sends Emails to Bloggers Threatening Legal Action

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Talking Point Detective2/19/2012 9:43:35 pm PST

An email to Heartland:

From: Gary Wamsley [mailto:editor@berthoudrecorder.com]
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 5:16 PM

To: Joseph Bast
Subject: Heartland Institute disinformation campaign

You should be ashamed of yourself. The United States already has a problem in keeping up with the rest of the world in science education and now you want to play a role in further destroying our nation as well as our planet.

You are a traitor to your own country. I did not spend 30 years in the military to protect the likes of you.

Gary Wamsley
Colonel, USAF, Retired

Return email from Hearland to the vet:

From: Joseph Bast
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:46:00 -0600

To: Gary Wamsley 

Cc: Jim Lakely 

Subject: RE: Heartland Institute disinformation campaign

Mr. Wamsley,

I assume your intemperate comments are based on a forged memo that misrepresents our efforts in the area of global warming research education, so let me explain before demanding an apology.

[…]

Now that you know the truth, I ask that you apologize for your intemperate and very offensive letter. Since your letter is threatening, I’ve forwarded it to our legal counsel, forensics team, and the FBI. It is important that you not delete the email from your sent file, or any other emails you may have exchanged with other people while preparing it, since this could be evidence in criminal and civil cases.

Please write back to let me know if you will comply with my requests.

Best regards,

Response from emailer:

From: Gary Wamsley [mailto:editor@berthoudrecorder.com] 
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 10:46 AM
To: Joseph Bast
Subject: Re: Heartland Institute disinformation campaign

Dear Mr. Bast,

Your threatening letter only serves to reinforce my opinion that the documents are in fact all true. Your ludicrous claim that my letter is threatening is a bullying tactic to which I will not succumb. No apology is offered. I do keep my emails for six months before deleting them.

Gary Wamsley
Colonel, USAF Retired

So, Heartland responds to a non-threat with a threat. Imagine my surprise.

berthoudrecorder.com