Penn State And National Security
While they were busy in Happy Valley tearing down the statue of Joe Paterno, guess what the former president of Penn State University, the guy who was forced from office in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal that unfolded under his watch as he sat mute and dumb at the helm, guess what that guy’s doing now. Facing criminal indictment? Nope. Shamed into a life of perpetual infamy? Bzzzt. Feeding once again at the public trough, this time with a gig for the federal government working national security? Sure, why not. This from the Sporting News:
In yet another shocking development in the Penn State story, ousted president Graham Spanier will soon begin working with the federal government on projects related to national security, The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa., first reported.
In an email written to the paper, Spanier said: “For the next several months, as I transition to my post-presidential plans, I will be working on a special project for the U.S. government relating (to) national security. This builds on my prior positions working with federal agencies to foster improved cooperation between our nation’s national security agencies and other entities.”
The Freeh Report, conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh, concluded that Spanier, along with vice president Gary Schultz, athletic director Tim Curley and late football coach Joe Paterno, conspired to cover-up the sexual abuse allegations against Sandusky.
And how painfully ironic now is the headline from this NY Daily News article, “Handcuffs may be in ex-PSU president’s future”:
The report reveals that former university officials, including former president Graham Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley, VP Gary Schultz and Paterno were aware of allegations that Sandusky was molesting young boys on Penn State’s campus over a decade ago and not only failed to take action but may have assisted in covering up the reports of child molestation.
…
Spanier issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying that Freeh’s claim that the former president “was engaged in a course of ‘active concealment,’ is simply not supported by the facts or by the report itself. Not only did Dr. Spanier never conceal anything from law enforcement authorities, but prior to 2011 he was never contacted by law enforcement officials, or any other officials, about any criminal activities now attributed to Sandusky.”
Spanier has said much the same before — that he was unaware of any allegations involving child molestation — but Freeh’s team reviewed emails and notes that show Spanier worked closely with Curley, Schultz and even Paterno when more than one allegation surfaced about Sandusky’s heinous acts. Worse yet, the officials discussed reporting Sandusky’s acts to authorities but instead told Sandusky to get help and hid him away in the athletic office.
Yet instead of handcuffs, Spanier walks away from the crimes and cover-ups to a job with the federal government working national security? Absolutely amazing, and wholly disgraceful.
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