LSU’s General Counsel and legal advisor to the LSU Board of Supervisors told lawmakers why LSU employees had been banned from speaking under oath to the Legislative Select Committee on Women and Children today.
GC Winston Decuir said the decision was the result of a lawsuit by a current LSU administrator and that he only learned of Wednesday. Decuir said at the time the decision to bar employees from testifying was made he the suit had not officially been filed and so he could only infer what it covered and who was named in it.
“I have to be protective when threatened with a lawsuit,” said Decuir. “We are talking me trying to make a decision based on the announcement of threatened litigation, I have to be cautious in that situation.”
That lawsuit, by Atheltic Administrator Sharon Lewis, alleges a broad conspiracy to cover up sexual misconduct claims at the school, and retaliation against Lewis for investigating claims against former coach Les Miles. It names a wide range of current and former LSU leaders and seeks 50 million dollars in damage. The suit was filed Thursday.
Decuir was grilled by lawmakers in attendance. New Orleans Representative Aimee Freeman said she has witnesses who claim either Verge Ausberry or Miriam Segar violated the terms of their recent suspensions, but now those witnesses feel intimidated by the gag order.
Athletic Department administrators Ausberry and Segar were suspended for several weeks each as a result of Husch Blackwell’s findings that they mishandled reports of sexual misconduct. A condition of their suspension was that they were barred from performing any of their duties, but Freeman said she has witnesses who were willing to testify that one of the two did in fact perform official duties while suspended.
“That person is petrified to come testify in this room, for fear of their job,” said Freeman.
Freeman pointed out head coach Ed Orgeron had already refused to attend the hearing before the lawsuit. Freeman noted that Tuesday night Orgeron held his regularly scheduled Spring Football Zoom press conference.
“If Coach O could have a Zoom closed press conference, why couldn’t he read a statement?” Asked Freeman, who noted she was barred from joining the press conference by an LSU media representative.
To start the Tuesday night zoom press conference Orgeron was asked about testimony by Superdome worker Gloria Scott. Scott claimed Orgeron called her to try and get her to forgive running back Derrius Guice for sexually harassing her while she was on the job. Orgeron denies that conversation took place and during Tuesday night’s press conference refused to comment on the comment.
A number of other athletics and administrative leaders, including Athletic Director Scott Woodward, had also refused to attend before the lawsuit was announced.
Freeman said she’s heard from alumni and students who are furious that LSU didn’t fire anyone after the Husch Blackwell report’s release. Decuir responded on behalf of Interim President Tom Galligan saying “It was a very, very difficult analysis, but he had to make a recommendation and that is where he fell.”
“And for the students, that feels very unacceptable,” responded Freeman.
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