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Heartland publishes emails climate-change activist used to steal documents

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The Heartland Institute has released the emails global warming activist and Pacific Institute president Peter Gleick used to fraudulently obtain confidential documents from the free-market, climate-change-skeptic think tank.

Gleick has admitted to stealing the documents by assuming the identity of a Heartland board member over email.

The emails, which Heartland compiled online Friday, show how he did it.

Heartland points out that although Gleick claimed he had obtained all the documents he publicized directly from Heartland and that he says he was trying to confirm what Heartland has deemed a “fake strategy memo” from an “anonymous source,” Gleick never asked for the documents cited in the memo.

Ironically, the first email Gleick sent to Heartland under his assumed name came on the same day he rejected an invitation from Heartland to debate climate science at The Heartland Institute’s 2012 anniversary benefit dinner in August.

Heartland has also published that email correspondence.

The Board of Directors of the Pacific Institute have distanced themselves from the scandal and launched their own investigation into the incident. (RELATED: Global-warming activist admits to stealing Heartland documents)

“Neither the board nor the staff of the Pacific Institute knew of, played any role in, or condones these events,” Board of Directors wrote in a statement. “As facts emerge and are confirmed, the Board will inform all stakeholders of our findings and of any actions based on these findings.”

Heartland has said it is still considering its next move.

“We are consulting with legal counsel to determine our next steps and plan to release a more complete statement about the situation tomorrow,” Heartland President Joseph Bast said in a statement following Gleick’s confession.

“In the meantime, we ask again that publishers, bloggers, and Web site hosts take the stolen and fraudulent documents off their sites, remove defamatory commentary based on them, and issue retractions.”

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