I think this is an important data point given the powerful organizations that benefit from discrediting academics (especially in the current political climate)

I think this is an important data point given the powerful organizations that benefit from discrediting academics (especially in the current political climate) -- some of this is happening in climate research, and if it's also happening in physics that matters. All of this reminds me a bit of the novel Three Body Problem where certain branches of academia (including hard sciences) are discredited as "too reactionary" or "reactionary philosophy." The motives in some cases are clear: just as tobacco companies benefitted from the status quo, so now do oil companies. However in physics, the motives may be more nuanced (and more of a territory capture that I don't understand). Don't doubt for a second that legitimate climate researchers will be accused of doing fake research ... most likely within the year. I'm not sure what the physics community can do besides joining together against this and continually pushing back. Let's stay transparent. Science is well-defined and important.