Scientists In on Global Warming Sham?

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Hustle and Flow

The leading global warming skeptic in Congress says he will ask for an investigation into allegations that some scientists have purposely overstated the data supporting the theory of ma n-made climate change.

Oklahoma Republican Senator James Inhofe is referring to information discovered by computer hackers who reportedly broke into a server at a well-respected climate change research center in Britain. One of the e-mails found and posted from center director Phil Jones ref ers to a technique to, "hide the decline" in recent global temperatures.

Jones wrote that in compiling new data he had used what he called the "trick" of adding in temperatures from different time periods to "hide the decline."

Climate change skeptics argue data indicates global temperatures stopped increasing as far back as 1960. Jones says the comment was taken out of context. Inhofe points to all that to bolster his suspicion that the United Nations and its climate change panel, "cooked the science to make this thing look as if the science was settled, when all the time... we knew it was not."

Rocky Rhode

The head of the Rhode Island diocese is wondering about the timing of the announcement from Rhode Island Democratic Congressman Patrick Kennedy that he has been told not to receive communion because of his support of abortion rights.

Catholic Church rules allow Bishop Thomas Tobin to prevent Kennedy from receiving communion within his diocese. Kennedy told the Providence Journal that the bishop explained the decision saying, "that I am not a good practicing Catholic because of the positions that I've taken as a public official," particularly on abortion.

Bishop Tobin released a statement Sunday saying it was almost three years ago that he asked the congressman to refrain from receiving communion: "I am disappointed and really surprised that Congressman Patrick Kennedy has chosen to reopen the public discussion."

The Friends You Keep

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is publicly praising a convicted murderer who was implicated in hijackings and terror attacks across Europe during the 1970s and '80s.

Chavez told a gathering of leftist political leaders that Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, was what he called a revolutionary fighter: "I defend him. I don't care what they say tomorrow in Europe."

Sanchez is serving a life sentence in France for three murders. He published a book in 2003 praising Usama bin Laden and calling the 9/11 attacks a "lofty feat of arms."

— FOX News Channel's Lanna Britt contributed to this report.