The Penn State Scandal; The Nittany Lions Make the Right Call on Their Investigator
Let's face it, the last few weeks have not been very good for Penn State or its legendary football program. In fact, they have been so bad that Joe Paterno was fired and has now gone quiet. The allegations of serial child abuse by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and a possible institutional cover-up have turned into a nightmare for the school.
However, Penn State promised us a thorough "investigation" and a search for the truth into these charges, no matter how ugly the facts may be. Today, Penn State took a substantial step in keeping its promise. Penn State needed a major (and independant) law enforcement official to give any internal investigation some credibility. In naming former FBI Director Louis Freeh, Penn State has chosen wisely.
Since Freeh used to be the head of the one of the world's most elite criminal investigation agencies, he has the skills to do a true investigation into this scandal. But, even more importantly, he should have the connections necessary to coordinate his efforts with law enforcement (state and federal) to find out just how deep this scandal may go.
As this story broke, Penn State seemed stunned and slow to react. With choice of Freeh to head its investigation, Penn State has cured that problem, as least for now.
My name is Christopher Fusco. I am the managing partner of Callahan & Fusco, LLC with offices in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.