Punxsutawney Phil Accused of Covering Up Emails Proving Early Spring On The Way

PhilPUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – Punxsutawney Phil, beloved groundhog weather prognosticator, was accused of scientific misconduct for allegedly covering up thousands of emails containing information proving that an early spring is on the way. 

This morning, Phil emerged from his den at Gobbler’s Knob, two miles outside of Punxsutawney, and reported that he saw his shadow, meaning there will be six more weeks of winter. 

Critics of the iconic rodent greeted the forecast with incredulity.  “How could he see his shadow with this heavy cloud cover?” said one woman.  Another critic said the forecast is at odds with scientific data Phil covered up. “Phil was paid off to make an erroneous forecast by political groups that oppose an early spring,” he said.

Phil claims that he is a victim of smear campaign by ideologues who hacked into his server, and that comments he made in emails, some of which were derisively critical of Al Gore and others, have been ”taken out of context.”

Feb 2