WASHINGTON - February 27 - In his new column, George Will doubles down on distortions made in his widely criticized global warming column from earlier this month. Lashing out at critics, Will once again misuses sea ice data to falsely suggest it undermines the overwhelming evidence that humans are causing global warming.

"George Will's latest column is proof that sometimes the sequel is just as bad as the original. Instead of admitting his errors and correcting them, Will has added more fuel to this growing fire sparked by his previous column's distortion of scientific findings," said Erikka Knuti, a spokeswoman for Media Matters.

For the past week, Will and The Washington Post have faced sustained criticism over Will's dubious global warming claims. Despite thousands of letters and emails sent by concerned readers to Will, The Washington Post, and Post ombudsman Andy Alexander, the Post has yet to issue a correction for the serious errors and distortions in Will's original column - claims made yet again in his latest work. Instead, they have repeatedly obfuscated the issues at hand, which only compounds Will's embarrassing lack of concern for the truth.

"The Washington Post remains defiant, refusing to correct Will's false claims," Knuti said. "Instead, the Post has dug in its heels, standing by Will, his misuse of scientific data, and worst yet, his refusal to admit he erred. It's time for the Post to show its commitment to accuracy and journalistic integrity by finally acknowledging Will's pattern of misrepresenting the truth with a printed correction. The paper owes it to its readers."

Last night, the Columbia Journalism Review quoted Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt defending Will's work, saying in part, "If you want to start telling me that columnists can't make inferences which you disagree with ... I think that's really inappropriate. It may well be that he is drawing inferences from data that most scientists reject - so, you know, fine, I welcome anyone to make that point. But don't make it by suggesting that George Will shouldn't be allowed to make the contrary point. Debate him."

This controversy, however, is not about "inferences" by Will with which others "disagree." It is about Will spreading demonstrably false information, and The Washington Post standing by those falsehoods. Will is entitled to his own opinion, but when he gets the facts wrong in an attempt to validate that opinion, the Post has an obligation to step in and correct the public record.

BACKGROUND

Media Matters: Lashing out at critics, George Will spreads more falsehoods in new global warming column

Summary: In a column obtained by Media Matters in advance of its publication, George Will falsely claims that in his February 15 column, he "accurately reported" on the contents of an Arctic Climate Research Center document on sea ice data. In fact, while Will suggested the ACRC data undermine the scientific consensus that humans are causing global warming, the document actually states that the sea ice data are consistent with the outcomes projected by climate-change models.

Columbia Journalism Review: The George Will Affair

Summary: Thought the dust kicked up by George Will's February 15 column in The Washington Post, "Dark Green Doomsayers," had settled? Think again. On Friday, the Post will run a second column by Will addressing the widespread criticism he received for the last one. And while his editor, Fred Hiatt, defends both columns to CJR, the climate world is beside itself, and the case raises important questions about journalistic evidence and inference.

Media Matters' County Fair: WashPost's Fred Hiatt plays dumb for George Will

Summary: Journalism is not complicated. Honest. But sometimes people practicing it pretend that it is. They pretend that it's very complicated and that every fact has nine different sides and it's impossible--impossible--to figure out what the truth really is. And because it's impossible, who's to say who's right and who's wrong. Who's to say what's correct and what's incorrect. It's all open for debate.

Media Matters' County Fair: WaPo goes all in

Summary: The Washington Post lost $192 million last year. This is not a newspaper that can afford to alienate its readership. And yet, the Post is going all-in on George Will's credibility. For the past week, Will and the Post have faced sustained criticism over dubious claims Will made about global warming -- and over a pattern of such claims from both Will and the Post.