So how could dedicated scientists fudge data regarding claims of catastrophic global warming and give ammunition to those seeking policies that would impoverish working people via higher energy costs?

Apparently for the money.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Phil Jones --  the director of the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit which was the source of the emails which blew the lid off the lies -- received $19 million worth of research grants between 2000 and 2006, a six-fold increase over what he got in the 1990s.

Wonder how much Penn State's Michael Mann got?

For a laugh at Mann's expense check out Hide the Decline.