EAST LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) The fallout from the Larry Nassar sentencing hearings and the allegations revealed by the brave young victims who have come forward has resulted in incredible pressure for the leadership in those organizations to resign, whether they had direct information about the crimes or not.
To truly appreciate what actually happened in those examining rooms, in the practice gyms and the dormitories where the athletes worked and were treated, required listening to the raw uncensored testimony in Judge Rosemary Aquilina’s courtroom, not just the clips used in the news. Much of it was far too graphic and shocking for use on media that might be heard by children.
It was also the sincerity and the repetition of the allegations made by the young women of how they were handled, controlled and manipulated when they expressed complaints or concerns about what Dr. Nassar was doing that has opened the eyes of many about the scale of what took place.
It was sitting in during the testimony that convinced MSU President Lou Anna Simon to request an investigation by the Attorney General. It was that testimony that convinced Trustee Mitch Lyon to break with the rest of the board and call for Simon to resign.
It has been that testimony that has forced many of those who were reluctant to get involved, to finally get it, and it has set off a cascade of events, investigations and resignations that may be making headlines for a while.
Simon made it clear she had finally understood when she resigned Thursday. The fact that she may not have known or acted quickly enough is not the point. Rather the responsibility lies in allowing the culture that made it possible for what they are calling the worst sports sex-abuse scandal in history to occur.
Friday the US Gymnastics Board all resigned under threat of decertification by the U.S. Olympic Committee, and now long time Spartan Athletic Director Mark Hollis is retiring because of the scandal.
An ESPN story claiming both the football and basketball programs covered up sexual abuse by athletes at MSU has resulted in suggestions that both Mark Dantonio and Tom Izzo could soon be dragged into the widening scandal. The article claims their departments demonstrated “a pattern of widespread denial, inaction and information suppression of such allegations by officials ranging from campus police to the Spartan athletic department.” The information comes from a former staffer, and reports suggest there may have been as many as 37 cases that were suppressed over the years.
Dantonio addressed the article head on Friday claiming that he followed all the reporting requirements, learning of most of the cases from outside sources, like police or other agencies. Izzo declined to talk about it in the postgame interview Friday night, preferring to say he wanted to be part of the healing process, felt a great deal of sympathy for the victims, and knocked down a rumor he had any retirement plans because of the growing scandal.
Hundreds of MSU students protested on campus Friday night, calling on the school to do more to stem sexual abuse on campus, in all its forms, and demanding more accountability from the school administration
It followed an emotional MSU Board meeting that brought some members to tears, including Mitch Lyons, who has announced his decision not to run for reelection. He says his daughter goes there now, and he has another daughter that plans to go to MSU and he worries for their safety too.
But he and the other trustees may not make it to the end of their terms. Governor Rick Snyder’s office confirms they are looking into how to go about removing the MSU Board if they don’t go voluntarily. One aspect the Governor’s lawyers are looking at is whether it would interfere with the multiple investigations MSU is about to face.
The NCAA, several state legislators, and The U.S. Department of Education have all launched probes, and now several Congressional committees, including Fred Upton’s Commerce Committee are considering hearings.
State Senator Margaret O’Brien she is working with Tonya Schuitmaker and others , doing fact finding as they formulate legislation. She say its work they began around the holidays. She says investigations should be done by someone with police powers, and they are lending their support to the Attorney General in any way they can.
The Attorney General plans to lay out the details of his investigation at a news conference today. The MSU Board and State Rep. Tom Cochran are both asking Bill Schuette to bring in a third party to conduct his investigation to keep it from becoming politicized by the Gubernatorial candidate.
Earlier this week MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson sparked outrage when he belittled the scandal, calling it that “Nassar thing” and saying it is not another “Penn State”. He may be at least partly right. This may be much much much bigger.
Some have begun to compare it to the Russian doping scandal.
