Penn State’s Former President Graham Spanier To Rebut Report
Penn State’s former president Graham Spanier is planning a news conference to rebut what he feels are inaccuracies in a report that found he and other top officials at the university concealed sex-abuse allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
The press conference will be conducted by Spanier’s lawyers, the Associated Press reported. The rebuttal will attack what they believe are inaccuracies in the report. Peter Vaira, one of Graham Spanier’s lawyers, said that there are “many, many errors” in the report compiled by former FBI director Louis Freeh. The press conference will take place early next week in Philadelphia, the report said.
Freeh was hired by Penn State officials to investigate the depth of the scandal, and his report released last month uncovered a vast conspiracy to keep allegations against Sandusky from reaching the public. It concluded that Spanier teamed with football head coach Joe Paterno and other officials to keep the 2001 allegation against Sandusky private so it wouldn’t create bad publicity for the school.
In the meantime, Sandusky was still allowed to use the school’s facilities and be alone with young boys. On the strength of the report, the NCAA leveled unprecedented sanctions on Penn State including a $60 million fine and a ban from playing bowl games over the next several years.
Spanier has not been charged with a crime but was ousted as Penn State president shortly after Sandusky was arrested. He has maintained that Freeh’s report was wrong about his knowledge of the abuse and his role in the cover-up.
Sandusky now awaits sentencing for the 45 counts of sexually abusing boys on which he was convicted.
He has repeatedly said that Freeh mischaracterized his knowledge and handling of abuse allegations against Sandusky, who awaits sentencing following his conviction on 45 counts for sexually abusing 10 boys.
After leaving Penn State, Spanier began working with the federal government on projects related to national security, the Sporting News reported.
