New Orleans Saints involved in Church Sexual Abuse cover up

[aussiedude]

Attorneys for about two dozen men suing the church say in court filings that the 276 documents they obtained through discovery show that the NFL team, whose owner is devoutly Catholic, aided the Archdiocese of New Orleans in its “pattern and practice of concealing its crimes.”

“The information at issue bears a relationship to these crimes because it is a continuation of the Archdiocese’s pattern and practice of concealing its crimes so that the public does not discover its criminal behavior,” wrote plaintiffs’ attorneys Richard Trahant, John Denenea Jr. and Soren Gisleson. “And the Saints joined in.”

NFL’s Saints fight to shield emails in Catholic abuse crisis

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints are going to court to keep the public from seeing hundreds of emails that allegedly show team executives doing public relations damage control for the area's Roman Catholic archdiocese to help it contain the fallout from a burgeoning sexual abuse crisis.

apnews.com

If this is true the NFL must force Gayle Benson to sell. and might even strip Tom Benson's name from the field in Canton.
Everyone involved has to be fired.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Massive

 

[largebus]

More like New Orleans sinners amirite?

 

[drd23]

I'm struggling to understand how multiple executives within the Saints organisation thought it appropriate to discuss media strategy with the Church.

It doesn't sound like it was just

“The advice was simple and never wavering. Be direct, open and fully transparent, while making sure that all law enforcement agencies were alerted,”

as the team is saying

If these emails are much beyond that (and I don't doubt they are), I don't see how its not “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL.

Sadly though I think it's more likely the NBA makes Benson sell the Pelicans than it is that the NFL makes her sell the Saints over this

 

[aussiedude]

I'm struggling to understand how multiple executives within the Saints organisation thought it appropriate to discuss media strategy with the Church.

It doesn't sound like it was just

as the team is saying

If these emails are much beyond that (and I don't doubt they are), I don't see how its not “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL.

Sadly though I think it's more likely the NBA makes Benson sell the Pelicans than it is that the NFL makes her sell the Saints over this

If its true the Benson's will be forced to sell both. i think the NBA might like that since they could move the Pelicans to a bigger market.

Using @NFL.com email addresses means if anything bad comes from it they will want to crack down hard.
and if its proven that they did everything accused of and also used the team name to keep people quiet i dont see the NFL not forcing a sale. and like i said might even be bad enough to wipe Tom's name from the HOF field in Canton.

There was talk that if Bob Kraft was heavily involved in the prostitution ring that the NFL will try and make him sell.

The NFL forced Jerry Richardson to sell for much less. he was just a racist and creep who sexually harassed female employees.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

The New Orleans Child Molesters is hard to market for, so it's understandable why they chose to be called the Saints instead.

 

[aussiedude]

The New Orleans Child Molesters is hard to market for, so it's understandable why they chose to be called the Saints instead.

Well the signs were there

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Seems similar to Ridsdale case here where the Archdiocese kept moving around a priest. Bizarre that Saints would even offer any advice even if it was just ‘tell the truth’. Think we need to see some facts before we cast what is some serious aspersions.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Casting aspersions is fun tho.

 

[drd23]

Casting aspersions is fun tho.

And very profitable to some

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

 

[quotemokc]

Time for a re brand.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

It’s funny how a guy can rant for 10 mins and tell you nothing new.

 

[drd23]

It’s funny how a guy can rant for 10 mins and tell you nothing new.

I think there is a 10 minute minimum before they can get ad revenue on Youtube videos

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

I think there is a 10 minute minimum before they can get ad revenue on Youtube videos

Ask ok, that means there’s a lot of fluff on YT.

 

[Monocle]

I have to say when I first read the original post that aussiedude put up I was WOW WTF.

I have subsequently done some research on the scandal and IMO it doesn't come across at all well for The Saints.

If there is nothing of any substance to reveal in the emails, then they should have nothing to hide or be worried about, so it begs the question then why are the Saints so anxious to prevent the information becoming available to the public.

Sorry but this just doesn't pass the sniff test for me.

Its such a vile and repugnant topic, that any association with the alleged subject matter, that even the slightest piece of evidence of being complicit with a cover up, is fraught with some very serious and far reaching consequences.

Early days ,granted, but at this point in time things are not looking at all flash for the management and ownership of the Saints.

 

[drd23]

Its such a vile and repugnant topic, that any association with the alleged subject matter, that even the slightest piece of evidence of being complicit with a cover up, is fraught with some very serious and far reaching consequences.

I doubt they'll have been involved in the actual cover-up itself (i.e. moving pedophile priests around, putting pressure on victims/families not to speak etc).

I won't be surprised if the emails contain team execs discussing ways for the Church to minimise their exposure, which given that they are supposed to be a sporting organisation is definitely not their place. It would be abhorrent if they used their position in society in any way to benefit the Church

 

[Exe Gesis]

i reckon theres a strong chance of horrible things said in private emails between ownership/management and the clergy.. .why theyre reluctant to have it exposed. you know, things like...those kids, they enjoyed it at the time, and now they want to make a quick buck, to hell with their victim support, there should be a statute of limitations...etc

 

[Monocle]

I doubt they'll have been involved in the actual cover-up itself (i.e. moving pedophile priests around, putting pressure on victims/families not to speak etc).

I won't be surprised if the emails contain team execs discusses ways for the Church to minimise their exposure, which given that they are supposed to be a sporting organisation is definitely not their place, and would be abhorrent if they used their position in society in any way to benefit the Church

I agree on both points.

 

[nobbyiscool]

If this is true (and it's a big if) - fold the team, sell them to another city.

Between this, bountygate, the bad karma that must still exist in the stadium following the rapes, assaults and robberies post-Katrina, and the fact that it's not even that big of a market? Where is their future support coming from?

 

[GoGeta]

I'm struggling to understand how multiple executives within the Saints organisation thought it appropriate to discuss media strategy with the Church.

It doesn't sound like it was just

as the team is saying

If these emails are much beyond that (and I don't doubt they are), I don't see how its not “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL.

Sadly though I think it's more likely the NBA makes Benson sell the Pelicans than it is that the NFL makes her sell the Saints over this

When powerful people collude to cover up things like sexual abuse it's because they all have something to hide/gain, pedo ring? bribes? probably both.
Normal people don't try and help pedo's to escape punishment for their crimes, it's usually the opposite.

Religious pawns are the exception, as they choose ignorance rather than have their whole belief system crumble.

 

[GoGeta]

Seems similar to Ridsdale case here where the Archdiocese kept moving around a priest. Bizarre that Saints would even offer any advice even if it was just ‘tell the truth’. Think we need to see some facts before we cast what is some serious aspersions.

Maybe the Saints should not add to this by trying to stop the public seeing the emails?

Hiding things from public view is usually a sign that something is amiss but hey, I guess we all fink differently

 

[NorthernLights]

Wtf are they doing being affiliated with a church like that in the first place?

 

[drd23]

Wtf are they doing being affiliated with a church like that in the first place?

Blame Gale

 

[aussiedude]

Update:

NFL's Saints accused of helping shape clergy sex abuse list

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints say they only did “minimal” public relations work on the area’s Roman Catholic sexual abuse crisis, but attorneys suing the church allege hundreds of confidential Saints emails show the team's involvement went much further, helping to shape a list of credibl

apnews.com

The New Orleans Saints say they only did “minimal” public relations work on the area’s Roman Catholic sexual abuse crisis, but attorneys suing the church allege hundreds of confidential Saints emails show the team’s involvement went much further, helping to shape a list of credibly accused clergy that appears to be undercounted.

“This goes beyond public relations,” the attorneys wrote, accusing the Saints of issuing misleading statements saying their work for the archdiocese involved only “messaging” and handling media inquiries as part of the 2018 release of the clergy names.

Instead, they wrote, “The Saints appear to have had a hand in determining which names should or should not have been included on the pedophile list.”

“In order to fulfill this role ... the Saints must have known the specific allegations of sexual abuse against a priest ... and made a judgment call about whether those allegations by a particular victim against a named priest were, in its opinion, legitimate enough to warrant being included,” the attorneys wrote. They added, “It cannot now be disputed that the Saints had actual involvement in the creation of the pedophile list.”

Plaintiffs’ attorneys alleged in earlier court papers that Saints executives joined in the archdiocese’s “pattern and practice of concealing its crimes,” and one email from late 2018 referred to Saints Senior Vice President of Communications Greg Bensel joining unnamed “third parties” in a discussion about “removing priests from the pedophile list.” It was not clear which other Saints officials may have been involved.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

F**K the Saints. If this is even part truthfull they must be forced to sell and should scrub the Benson name from the league including removing his name from the HoF field in Canton.