Feds Launch Penn State Investigation

U.S. Representative Pat Meehan (R-PA7) is getting what he asked for. According to a report on Philly.com, the U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into the child sex abuse scandal at Penn State University.

Meehan, whose district includes parts of Easttown, earlier this month as the story around the scandal was breaking. According to a news release from the University posted on the Penn State website on Saturday. the school was notified back on November 9 about the investigation. According to the news release, federal investigators were to arrive at the campus on Monday.

At issue is whether or not the University knew of problems related to former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and failed to report them under the Clery Act. Meehan, a former federal prosecutor, pushed for the Department of Education after allegations surfaced that top Penn State officials knew of allegations against Sandusky but failed to report them under the Clery Act.

The Penn State news release sums up the Clery Act and how it relates to the Sandusky case this way:

Under the Clery Act, colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs are required to keep and disclose information about criminal offenses on campus that are reported each year, something Penn State does online and through the "Policy, Safety and U" publication sent to all members of the Penn State community each fall. In addition, in certain cases, the institution must issue a timely warning if a reported crime represents a threat to the campus community. The U.S. Department of Education is responsible for Clery Act compliance and can impose civil penalties against institutions for each infraction and can suspend institutions from participating in federal student financial aid programs.

In another development in the case, The Centre Daily News reports a new Sandusky accuser has come forward in letter form. According to the report, a prison inmate in Oklahoma saying he "could have been" assaulted by Sandusky.