Brother Of Ousted Penn State President Says Sibling Wasn't Part Of Cover-Up
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) – The brother of ousted Penn State President Graham Spanier says his sibling did not help cover up the child-sex scandal that has rocked the university.
The brother, Larry Spanier, still lives in Highland Park, and talked to his brother Wednesday, right before he was removed as Penn State's leader.
"He told me very specifically he knew nothing of this," Spanier told CBS 2's Dana Kozlov on Friday. "I absolutely believe him."
"He said he felt he had to step down for the benefit of the University and that, since two top officials are in trouble with the law and it happened under his watch, that this is what he had to do."
Graham Spanier and legendary Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno were ousted after charges that Paterno and other Penn State officials covered up allegations that former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky had raped a 10-year-old boy in a campus shower. Sandusky is now indicted and charged with assaulting eight young boys over the past two decades.
"If he knew any of this he would have stepped in and taken every action possible. And he did tell me that," Larry Spanier said. "The facts will come out."
In the meantime, Spanier says his brother plans to stay on Penn State's faculty. The university's interim president says Spanier is a tenured faculty member.
But Spanier's plaque was removed from Highland Park High School's distinguished alumni wall. His brother hopes that's only temporary, saying he knows his name will be cleared.
"His integrity is stellar. He does not break any laws," Larry Spanier said.
Spanier says his brother is keeping a low profile. He adds his family is more concerned right now about the alleged victims than they are about how Graham Spanier is coping.
