I am a climate scientist - I deal in research, evidence and facts - and everything I have learned in my many years as a professor have shown me that climate change is real.
Unfortunately, Ken Cuccinelli chooses to ignore fact in favor of his own prejudice and personal political ambition, and nearly ruined my professional reputation for his own personal gain.
For two years, Cuccinelli has made outrageous, wholly untrue and deeply upsetting allegations of fraud against me, after I dared suggest that climate change represented a real threat to our nation.
His campaign was so severe that the Washington Post called it a "witch hunt". This was personally distressing to me and my family, but more importantly, Cuccinelli used $600,000 taxpayer dollars to fund his pointless, unfounded attacks.
Cuccinelli's behavior was an egregious abuse of office - regardless of your politics - and clearly shows that he will not let science, or the welfare of the Virginian people, get in the way of his own ambition.
We must stop him winning this election. Tell Ken Cuccinelli that you will not be voting for a candidate who is a climate denier.
Dear Attorney General Cuccinelli:
Answer me this: why do you keep denying the existence of climate change?
Why, when 97% of scientists agree it is real?
And why, when millions of Virginians - particularly children and the elderly - are already feeling its effects?
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From record-breaking heat waves and hurricanes to the increasing spread of infectious disease and threats to our national security, we can already see the impact of climate change on our state, and the true cost will be measured in lives lost and billions of dollars in damages.
The last thing we need is another climate-denying, science-bashing extremist in the governor's mansion. We need a governor who will tackle this critical issue with intelligence, good sense and a healthy respect for science.
When you deny climate change is real, you don't speak for me - and you don't speak for millions of other Virginian voters.
On November 5, I will be going to the polls to vote on climate change - and I won't be voting for you.
Thank you.
[Your name]
