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Joe Paterno May Have Been Involved In The Penn State Cover-Up Of Sandusky’s Actions

Yep, the Penn State hullabaloo isn’t quite over yet. CNN has obtained the alleged content of emails sent between former Penn State President Graham Spanier, Vice President Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley concerning 2001 abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky, and now the question of Joe Paterno’s involvement in this whole mess is back in limbo.

The exchange of emails, which apparently began 16 days after Mike McQueary reported his shower allegations, details a conversation in which the Penn State officials consider contacting the state’s child welfare agency, reaching out to “the chair of the charitable organization” (The Second Mile), and contacting the “subject” (Sandusky) about use of the “University facility” in response to McQueary’s and previous allegations from 1998. The vague terminology is odd, especially since its more than obvious what they’re referring to. But the real kicker comes a day later, when Curley all of a sudden reverses course, due in part to a conversation he purportedly had with Joe Paterno.

Via CNN:

“Curley writes: ‘After giving it more thought and talking it over with Joe yesterday, I am uncomfortable with what we agreed were the next steps.’

The athletic director apparently preferred to keep the situation an internal affair and talk things over with Sandusky instead of notifying the state’s child welfare agency to investigate Sandusky’s suspicious activity.

‘I am having trouble with going to everyone, but the person involved,’ Curley allegedly continues.
Curley writes he’d be ‘more comfortable’ meeting with Sandusky himself and telling him they know about the 2001 incident and — according to a source with knowledge of the case — refers to another shower incident with a boy in 1998 that was investigated by police, but never resulted in charges against Sandusky.

Curley writes to Penn State’s president Spanier that he wants to meet with Sandusky, tell him there’s ‘a problem,’ and that ‘we want to assist the individual to get professional help.’”

Clearly the clout we all assumed Joe Paterno to have was real – all it took was a mere conversation with Paterno for Curley to suggest a change of course. Even though the Penn State officials were clearly in the midst of saving their own asses, at the very least the prospect of bringing in outside authorities was brought up. But then Paterno waltzed in and the soldiers fell in line. Hear, understand, accept.

Of course, we have no idea what Paterno said to Curley to warrant such a reversal, but the chain of command is nonetheless transparent. Joe Paterno knew what was going on and was handing down the marching orders.

But this doesn’t let Spanier, Curley or Schultz off the hook. As the emails indicate, they were hardly concerned with the actual victims.

“About two hours later, Spanier responded to Curley in another e-mail and copied Schultz. Spanier allegedly called the plan ‘acceptable’, but worries whether it’s the right thing to do, according to two sources.

‘The only downside for us is if the message (to Sandusky) isn’t ‘heard’ and acted upon, and we then become vulnerable for not having reported it,’ Spanier purportedly wrote.

And kids remain vulnerable to Sandusky, Spanier. That should probably be a concern, too. But, no matter. This is all merely further proof of the backwards leadership of Penn State for many, many years.

[CNN]

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