wash one's hands of

"At the time, online critics noted the privilege required to wash one’s hands of such demonstrations and binge on cake instead," Bradley said, adding that Fey "admitted, they were right."

"We think it's a dereliction of responsibility to expect the Syrian Democratic Forces to solve this problem or to expect the Iraqi government to solve this problem or to simply wash one's hands of the problem altogether," he said.

To simply wash one’s hands of reality, and pass the buck for responsibility onto scientists with no policymaking authority, is to be a science denier.

V. resign; give up, throw up; lay down, throw up the cards, wash one's hands of, abjure, renounce, forego, disclaim, retract; deny &c.