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Flap over Lord Monckton testifying before Congress

By Lawrence B. Ebert, Esq.

Those who have followed "patent reform" know about how Congressman Berman declined to allow critics of patent reform to testify before Congress. A similar matter has arisen in the discussion of climate issues.

From ClimateDepot:

UK's Lord Christopher Monckton, a former science advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, claimed House Democrats have refused to allow him to appear alongside former Vice President Al Gore at a high profile global warming hearing on Friday April 24, 2009 at 10am in Washington. Monckton told Climate Depot that the Democrats rescinded his scheduled joint appearance at the House Energy and Commerce hearing on Friday. Monckton said he was informed that he would not be allowed to testify alongside Gore when his plane landed from England Thursday afternoon.

?The House Democrats don't want Gore humiliated, so they slammed the door of the Capitol in my face,? Monckton told Climate Depot in an exclusive interview. ?They are cowards.?

Additionally:

?The Democrats have a lot to learn about the right of free speech under the US Constitution. Congress Henry Waxman's (D-CA) refusal to expose Al Gore's sci-fi comedy-horror testimony to proper, independent scrutiny by the House minority reeks of naked fear,? Monckton said from the airport Thursday evening.

One recalls how "patent reform" advocates pushed the "97% patent grant rate" urban legend shamelessly, but were silent when its underpinnings were shown to be false.

See also

Howard Berman and patent reform

Full post as published by IPBiz on April 25, 2009 (boomark / email).