COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP)- A staffer who resignedfrom NASA after he was accused of restricting access to a noted climatescientist said Thursday he was targeted because of his political ties.
George C. Deutsch, 24,resigned from the agency's public relations department earlier this week.
"What you do have ishearsay coming from a handful of people who have clear partisan ties and theyare really coming after me as a Bush appointee,'' he told radio station WTAW. "Iwas an easy target. I was low-hanging fruit.''
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Deutschattempted to limit reporters' access to Jim Hansen,a noted NASA climate scientist, and insisted that a Web designer insert theword "theory'' before any mention of the Big Bang.
Deutsch denied theallegations.
"I havenever been told to censor science, to squelch anything or to insert religioninto any issue, absolutely not,'' said the former Bush campaign worker.
