Dr. Peter Gleick may have run afoul of a new cyber-impersonation law in California

watts up with that? ^ | February 23, 2012 | Anthony Watts

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

WUWT commenter “The Duke” writes:

I just sent the following letter to Senator Joe Simitian (D- Palo Alto) regarding Dr. Gleick’s apparent violation of SB 1411 which went into effect January 1st, 2011.

Dear Senator Simitian:

I am writing to you regarding possible violations of the impersonations law (SB 1411) you authored and successfully guided through the California legislature into law. It appears that Bay Area Scientist Dr. Peter Gleick has violated the law you wrote by impersonating a member of the Board of Directors at the Heartland Institute in Chicago in order to obtain privileged information from that private organization. Mr. Gleick has confessed to violating the law in a column on the Huffington Post. Here is a link to that column:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-h-gleick/heartland-institute-documents_b_1289669.html

As SB 1411 is a new law and, as the violation of privacy is particularly egregious in this case, I think it important that it be vigorously enforced. Enforcement would also serve to educate the public about the illegality of impersonating a fellow citizen.

I have read that this is a law that needs to be enforced by local law enforcement officials. Although I do not know where Mr. Gleick lives, I am writing to you in hopes that you might use your influence to see that the law enforcement officials in the Bay Area city in which he lives are aware of his offense and will act accordingly.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[theduke]

More info:

http://www.senatorsimitian.com/entry/sb_1411_criminal_e_personation/

Summary

Senate Bill 1411 would make it unlawful to knowingly and without consent credibly impersonate another person through or on an Internet Web site or by other electronic means with the intent to harm, intimidate, threaten or defraud another person.

Current law addressing false impersonation is outdated and was not drafted with the technologies of the 21st century in mind. SB 1411 brings us up to date by making these forms of cyber impersonation a punishable offense.

SB 1411 would add upon existing criminal penalties by providing a civil remedy, whereby anyone who suffers damage or loss as a victim of false impersonation perpetrated through the Internet or other electronic means may bring a civil action against the violator for compensatory damages and injunctive relief.

After this bill passed the Legislature, Senator Simitian sent a letter to the Governor urging his signature on this bill.

For more information, you can read the SB 1411 “Fact Sheet” prepared by a member of Senator Simitian’s staff.

California State Senate
SENATOR
S. JOSEPH SIMITIAN
ELEVENTH SENATE DISTRICT

DISTRICT OFFICE
160 Town & Country Village
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 688-6384
Fax (650) 688-6370
SATELLITE OFFICE
701 Ocean Street, Room 318A
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

(831) 425-0401
Fax (831) 425-5124
STATE CAPITOL
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
(916) 651-4011
Fax (916) 323-4529
E-MAIL
Senator.Simitian@sen.ca.gov
WEBSITE

http://www.sen.ca.gov/simitian

[Joe the Pimpernel]

Laws don’t apply to “Progressives,” silly.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[DBrow]

Also consider industrial espionage. Obtaining information by fraudulently claiming to be someone with authority to receive that information.

[NormsRevenge]

They should make him tend algae ponds and harvest pondscum for penance. What a Jerk.

Laws, enforced in California when it comes to ethics or morals? and a liberal on a mission? fuhgeddaboudit

[Carry_Okie]

Like Kemala Harris would EVER allow the prosecution of Dr. Glick.

After all, he meant well. /s

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well, ...maybe we can make them sweat a little....see the thread on the FBI being called in Chicago by Heartland.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hmmm...that could work too!

[Marine_Uncle]

Another interesting development on this case. Perhaps he will end up in jail.

[steelyourfaith]

It must be getting increasingly difficult for any honest scientists to continue to cling to the AGW myth. That is not to say that anything will stop the dishonest scientists from providing the cover for Big Government to expand --- at least as long as the government research funding continues to flow.

Thanx for the ping Ernest_at_the_Beach !

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[Chode]

he'll be lucky to even get an Auto-Reply on that one...

[TigersEye]

LOL A liberal stuck on liberal flypaper. I’d tell Gleick to buzz off but that would just be cruel now.

[Ditto]

LOL A liberal stuck on liberal flypaper.

Or as Shakespeare would say, "Hoist with his own petard"

But being realistic, in the People's Republik of Kaliforia; aint' nothing going to happen to the dude. He's preaching the party line, so he's immune from the laws that the peons have to live by.

[TigersEye]

Yeah, it’s worth a shot though. Also make as much noise as possible about how the law is being selectively applied.