In some instances, he and his colleagues attempted to block Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, which was seen as contrary to scientific openness, though the scientists also expressed frustration with the amount of time and energy required to deal with requests.
Mann's refusal to hand over data was based on a U.S. court ruling stating it was his intellectual property. However, this was contested in other legal contexts, where it was argued that central documents could not be withheld in a defamation case, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
The reason is of course known only to Mann. He claims it is because opponents would “misuse” his code or data.
