"The so-called trick was nothing more than a statistical method used to bring two or more different kinds of data sets together in a legitimate fashion by a technique that has been reviewed by a broad array of peers in the field,"

Hogwash. The "trick" refers to leaving out inconvenient data out of a temperature reconstruction. It's called "selection bias". And it's true that most people in the field knew about it - yet kept it for what it was.

Please scroll here to the bottom for the two pictures, decide for yourself.

No wonder there will be a second panel on Mann's conduct, but the results of the first panel bear little indications that there will be any meaningful lessons drawn.