NOAA chief violated integrity policies by backing Trump tweet during hurricane, investigation reveals

The head of the agency that warns of dangerous weather violated its policy on scientific integrity with a statement last year backing a tweet by President Trump about the path of Hurricane Dorian, according to a report released Monday.

The New York Times reported acting chief Neil Jacobs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and communications director Julie Roberts “intentionally, knowingly, or in reckless disregard” violated the agency’s scientific integrity policy.

"Alabama was not struck by the hurricane."https://t.co/sdrbKb4kwy

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) June 16, 2020

During Dorian’s approach southern coast, Trump showed members of the media an image of the storm’s potential path, which included a marker drawing in an area of Alabama.

Responding to calls of concern, the National Weather Service’s Birmingham office tweeted out, “Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east.”

After days of controversy, the NOAA, part of the Commerce Department led by Wilbur Ross, released a statement saying the Birmingham tweet was “inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.”

In a memo posted along with the report on the NOAA’s website, Stephen Volz, the NOAA official responsible for scientific integrity, said the non-partisan National Academy of Public Administration panel found the pair’s actions were driven by external political pressure,

The controversy became known as “Sharpiegate.”