The conservative National Review is requesting donations from readers and supporters for the magazine’s defense in a lawsuit its facing.

Dr. Michael Mann, a professor at Penn State, filed the suit against NR and one of its writers, Mark Steyn, back in July for a column Steyn wrote. In the column, Steyn alleges Mann attempted to cover up data damaging to the science behind global warming. Steyn also compared Mann to Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State football coach convicted of child molestation.

Jack Fowler, publisher of NR, writes today:

National Review doesn’t look to get itself sued, but neither does it shy from a fight, especially one like this. …

As many of you know, National Review is not a non-profit — we are just not profitable. A lawsuit is not something we can fund with money we don’t have. Of course, we’ll do whatever we have to do to find ourselves victorious in court and Professor Mann thoroughly defeated, as he so richly deserves to be. Meanwhile, we have to hire attorneys, which ain’t cheap.

The bills are already mounting.

This is our fight, legally. But with the global-warming extremists going all-out to silence critics, it’s your fight too, morally. When we were sued, we heard from many of you who expressed a desire to help underwrite our legal defense. We deeply appreciated the outpouring of promised help.

Now we really need it.

Please help National Review in its fight to kick Professor Michael Mann’s legal heinie.

Full post here.