Delco Congressman Calls For Federal Probe Of Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A former U.S. attorney who's now a Delaware County congressman is asking the federal education secretary to open up a probe into the failure of top Penn State officials to report the sex abuse allegations against former defensive coach Jerry Sandusky.
Congressman Pat Meehan served as the U.S. attorney in Philadelphia for seven years prior to winning his seat in Congress. Before that, he was district attorney in Delaware County for six years.
Now, he's asking U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to conduct an investigation into whether federal law was broken by the failure of Penn State officials to report the sex abuse allegations.
Meehan says the Clery Act requires colleges and universities to report suspected criminal activity to campus security personnel.
"My belief is that had an investigation been conducted in 2002 because the proper reports had been made, it very well may have revealed this incident long before and a number of boys who allegedly had been molested would not have been."
Meehan says its clear from the grand jury report that Penn State authorities knew something was amiss and simply looked the other way and failed in their common-sense duties as adults to protect a child.
Reported by Mark Abrams, KYW Newsradio 1060
