It's not just the Republicans that are eager to cut scientists off from the media and the public. The Conservative party in Canada did exactly the same thing, much to the dismay of scientists and the public: http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/when-science-goes-silent/

They also infamously shut down a climate research centre that was keeping ice-core samples frozen. http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/tories-cutting-vita...

Anything that contradicts the messaging of a modern "conservative" party is something that must be destroyed.