Originally, a scientist hired by the Tobacco Institute to refute the findings that tobacco use resulted in cancer. Generally, it has expanded to mean any scientist paid by a moneyed interest to refute a scientific consensus or to create a false appearance of disagreement within the scientific community.
Did you hear that the Tobacco Institute Scientists over at Exxon-Mobile found there is no such thing as global warming?
by The Amazing Science-Man February 18, 2012