Alex Pareene at Salon points out that Neil Munro, the reporter who interrupted President Obama's remarks on immigration today, publicized "vaccines cause autism" conspiracy theories when he was a science reporter for the National Journal.

Here's Munro in 2004:

In response to growing concerns, CDC officials in June 1999 asked companies to stop using Thimerosal in vaccines. They also conducted a study, results of which were published in the November 2003 issue of Pediatrics; the article said "no consistent significant associations were found" between the Thimerosal-containing vaccines and disorders such as autism. The study was based on a huge database maintained by HMOs on the West Coast.

But the lead author of the article, Thomas Verstraeten, said recently that the article "does not state that we found evidence against an association,"and he also recommended additional study. Also, Mark Geier, a vaccine specialist in private practice who provides expert testimony for plaintiffs suing vaccine makers, conducted a study of the same database at the request of Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla. Geier's study tested the hypothesis that children who had received Thimerosal in all four shots of the combined diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine were more likely to be autistic than those who got no Thimerosal in their four shots. Geier said his study revealed 10 times as many cases ofautism among children given Thimerosal.

Geier has since been in trouble for using chemical castration to treat autistic children.

Click here to watch Munro interrupt the President.