I have heard this claim repeated hundreds of times, mainly by Christian conservatives and such (e.g. Ken Ham). Is there a publicly accepted citation of this fact?
None that you would accept. Even science is giving up on evolution since it has so many trains size holes in it.
Here is a scientific discussion of those holes:
http://www.wnd.com/2001/02/8220/
http://darwins-god.blogspot.com/2012/07/evolutionists-are-losing-ground-badly.html
You have to admit to respecting the absolute fundamental belief in evolution and its twin Marxism.