Head Football Coach Was Fired After Enabling Child Sex Abuser, Died in 2012
Donald Trump Wednesday evening told supporters at a Pittsburgh rally he’s going to bring back Joe Paterno. The billionaire businessman who claims to be a great dealmaker will need to have connections that are literally out of the world, as the Pennsylvania State University head coach died in 2012.
“I know a lot about Pennsylvania, and it’s great. How’s Joe Paterno. We’re gonna bring that back? Right?,” Trump asked. “How ’bout that whole deal?”
That “whole deal” includes the fact that Paterno tried to retire but instead was fired when it was revealed he protected and effectively enabled child sexual molester Jerry Sanduski, now 72, who was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison months after Paterno’s death.
It’s unclear how Trump did not know Paterno is dead, or of the child sexual molestation scandal that brought “JoePa” – and his statue – down, devastating not only Penn State, but the nation. And if he did know, why bring it up, much less fondly, with a sense of nostalgia for bygone days that, it turns out, were never really what they seemed.
Some responses via Twitter:
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This article has been update to correctly identify Paterno’s association was with Pennsylvania State University