Court Ruling Seems Near in Dispute Over Public Records on Alex Pussieldi
Muchnick in the Christian Science Monitor on California’s New ‘Football Safety’ Law
July 24, 2014June 11 Flashback: ‘With New Public Petition Calling For Congress and Chuck Wielgus Prosecution, USA Swimming’s Sex Abuse Victims Keep USOC From Changing the Subject’
August 8, 2014by Irvin Muchnick
On June 30 I reported that Broward County Circuit Court Judge John B. Bowman was reviewing the Fort Lauderdale city records on Alex Pussieldi that I claimed had been excessively redacted under Florida public records law.
A month and half later, the case appears closer to resolution. On July 14, Judge Bowman seemed to be moving toward a decision to restore some of the deletions but not others, and asked the Fort Lauderdale city attorney to draft an order to that effect. However, both the city attorney and my counsel agreed that one detail of the judge’s instructions was ambiguous, and we asked the court to clarify. In response, Judge Bowman promised to schedule a case management conference.
In the big picture, I reiterate that the exclusive reporting on the Alex Pussieldi cover-up, by Tim Joyce and myself, remains perhaps the best window on the global scandals of swimming coach sex abuse. Local police and city officials and regional swimming governance joined with the national Olympic sport body, USA Swimming, in keeping swimmers, their families, and the public in the dark about a range of essentially unrefuted allegations against Pussieldi.
This cover-up has played out entirely during the administration of USA Swimming chief Chuck Wielgus, who was recently denied International Swimming Hall of Fame induction due to a protest petition spearheaded by the Women’s Sports Foundation. (The foundation, however, refused to back a stronger petition, calling for Congressional intervention – likely because it has been co-opted by U.S. Olympic Committee promises to set up an “independent” abuse investigative agency.)
Concussion Inc.’s position is that the new sex police will be same song, new verse, and that only federal prosecution and oversight can get to the heart of the matter. Exhibit A of our case is the Pussieldi cover-up – which, chronologically and significantly, straddles the pre-“Safe Sport” and “Safe Sport” programs of USA Swimming.
NEXT — June 11 flashback: “With New Public Petition Calling For Congress and Chuck Wielgus Prosecution, USA Swimming’s Sex Abuse Victims Keep USOC From Changing the Subject”