This is the same over-the-top, how dare you question us response that occurs every time the "scientists" get caught cooking (pun intended) the books.
Nearly every time anyone wants to scrutinize the data that's being used to drive political decisions the warmist scientist community huddles up, throws up the walls, fails to respond to FOIA requests and congressional subpoenas and hopes that it all just goes away, so they can keep right on getting the funding from the politicians they curry favor from and for. Nothing says we're legit like the continual hiding behind bureaucratic walls and constant obfuscation and redirection.
No one of merit doubts for a second that man isn't impacting the environment (why does this always have to be said?) but the debate from how much or how little man is impacting the overal climate of earth is still very much legitimate and real. Nothing is more anti-science then the constant proclamation that on this issue, the science is "settled", it's not even close to be settling and probably never will be.
NOAA has been busted by one of their own, and instead of just owning up to it, along come the same old excuses from the usual suspects.