"Two decisions handed down July 19 in DC Superior Court affirmed climate scientist Michael Mann’s right to proceed in his defamation lawsuit against the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the National Review Online for their statements accusing him of data manipulation and fraud. The Court is not buying the Defendants arguments in their Motion to Dismiss that their statements are protected speech under the First Amendment, mere 'opinion,' 'rhetorical hyperbole,' or 'fair comment.'"

Climate Science Watch had the story July 19, 2013.

SEE ALSO:

"Affidavits in Michael Mann Libel Suit Reveal Astonishing Facts About Tim Ball Associate John O'Sullivan" (DeSmogBlog)

"Court Denies SLAPP Motion Against Scientist's Libel Suit" (Legal Times BLT blog)

"The Price of Defame" (Slate)

"The Curious Case Of Michael Mann and the Most Controversial Chart in Science" (policymic)

"Climate Scientist Prevails in First Round of Defamation Suit Against Conservative Bloggers" (Mother Jones)

"The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines" (Amazon)

"DC Court Bluntly Affirms Michael Mann’s Right To Proceed In Defamation Lawsuit Against National Review And CEI" (Climate Progress)

"Mike Mann Defamation Update: The Unbearable Weirdness of Denial" (Climate Denial Crock)

"ClimateGate Star Michael Mann Courts Legal Disaster" (Forbes: 9/18/12)

"Climate Scientist Mann Faces Obstacles to Winning Libel Lawsuit, Legal Experts Say" (Science News: 10/26/12)

"Climate Scientist Gets Compared To Jerry Sandusky, Files Libel Suit" (arstechnica)

Source: Climate Science Watch, 07/26/2013