on administrative leave by BOEMRE, pending results of an investigation into "integrity issues" by the DOI Office of Inspector General. During his paid leave, he was forbidden from speaking to colleagues or entering any Interior offices. BOEMRE director Michael Bromwich stated that Monnett's dismissal was not politically motivated, and did not involve questions about his scientific integrity. However, there was comment from climate "sceptics" that did raise questions about the integrity of scientists. British politician and columnist Ann Widdecombe used the case to support her view that "climate change money should go to armed services". Monnett's legal representative, the non-profit watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), stated that Monnett is subjected to a "witch hunt" regarding his 2006 scientific paper on drowned polar bears and released a transcript of a February 2011 interview of Monnett conducted by criminal investigator of the DOI Office of Inspector General. Although Monnett was questioned in the interview about the polar bear paper, it is not clear what relation, if any, it had to the integrity issues which bureau officials have cited. The investigations did impact on Monnett's oversight of a Canadian research study: BOEMRE briefly issued a stop-work order on the study, which was providing data on the movements of radio-collared polar bears being monitored by Canadian scientists. Monnett returned to work on August 25, although BOEMRE declared that Monnett will have no role in developing or managing contracts and will instead be in the environmental assessment division, and that future administrative actions are not ruled out. The investigation of a scientist by criminal investigators of the Inspector General triggered an outcry of protests from scientists and environmental and legal watchdog groups alike. "There's no way this can have anything but a chilling effect on the ability of other scientists to carry out their work," says Kassie Siegel, director of the Climate Law Institute with the Center for Biological Diversity. and group of Australian scientists sent a letter to President Obama, stating "This seems like the type of anti-science action that would have occurred under your predecessor and is similar to actions more expected in the pre-1989 Soviet Union". The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) so far takes a neutral stand on the issue. "We won't know, until the inspector general is done, exactly what the charges are and exactly what they are finding," says Francesca Grifo, director of the scientific integrity