CynicalScouter

Right, and this is where I wonder. If there are emails or documents showing or suggesting that BSA is actively engaged in not doing enough, that's on thing. If it comes down to "IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION BSA is not doing enough", then BSA trots out someone to say "YP is great and glorious and this person is just disgruntled." And then they can throw Johnson's words back at him in which HE said the YP was great. One of the reason what the Oregon case and the LA Times followup were so critical is that there were documents. We could read/can read the 1970s era documents showing LCs knew what was happening and then covered it up (and that became part of several books). In this case I wonder.

Right but as you point out it’s not the substance of the report it’s the media and public relations nightmare. A substantial report that identifies continued lapses in youth protection is going to get the interests of a variety of different people. We already know at least one Attorney General is looking into this. but even in insubstantial report that doesn’t contain much new or interesting it’s going to be taken a lot more seriously when and if it’s coming out of the mouth of the former head of youth protection. What I also I think is interesting is references to nondisclosure non-disparagement agreement that he refused. That does sound like severance or termination. Expect BSA therefore to run with the former employee/sour grapes/disgruntled line of defense. of course Johnson can wrap himself up with the “I quit because BSA didn’t take things seriously” or “I was terminated for telling unpleasant truths” I thought about this overnight why is he sending open letters to Congress? If what he saying or what we suspect he’s going to say is true he should be walking into the Michigan Attorney General’s office or law enforcement.

Same lyrics, just a slightly different tune.

Deny. Conceal. Divert.

Here's the problem: the BSA remains in absolute and total denial about all of this. They still insist their YP is best in the world, no problem, it is perfect, nothing needs to be fixed or changed. We've seen scouters in this very forum repeat that line: BSA has the best YP. We're fine. That was all in the past. It is going to be really, really hard if not impossible for them to wrap their brains around the idea that, no, it is still a problem and it is happening in THEIR WATCH.

This entire time BSA has been making the case/claim that the days of sexual abuse were over that the BSA YP system was the best ever and that BSA required no structural reforms just to get out of debt. Johnson is if this reads right about to nuke those propositions. Remember he was there as recently as 11 months ago. Now, since this is NOT the Johnson thread but bankruptcy let me suggest how this has bankruptcy ramifications. 1) BSA’s business model is that it will slowly build back membership to 1 million scouts in 2025. This will hurt that. 2) The TCC has demanded that BSA reform its YP system only to have BSA refuse and insist on watered down language (an outside evaluator picked by BSA can “suggest” changes that BSA is free to ignore). Expect the TCC to demand an outsider appointed by the victims with real power. And by real power I mean something close to a receivership or compliance monitor typically appointed for things like out of control police departments. 3) there is absolutely no reason for anyone to vote in favor of this plan. From this point on every lawsuit and every claim Will have Johnson testifying at it. 4) this also potentially and I think most importantly reopens the statute of limitations issue across-the-board in every state. Why? First He no doubt be called to testify before state legislative committees about what he saw thereby prompting more statue limitations windows to open. Second one of the ways to get around a statute of limitation is to demonstrate active efforts to conceal. If Johnson can come in and testify that Boy Scouts of America as recently as 2020 we’re still allowing this abuse to occur and still hiding information from defendants about their claims and abusers? Game over.

That has been Hartford’s case all along. Remember back in 2019 Hartford refused to honor its BSA coverage policies for this reason. BSA sued Hartford and that suit was ongoing up to the date of the bankruptcy filing.

TCC has as you know and their number is likely much different.

I did not want to outright accuse him of that but the timing is…interesting.

Kosnoff had the same idea I did: Johnson is going to spend the rest of his life going from one court to another in Plaintiff vs. BSA and LCs.

Kosnoff's having a field day of course

They've got stupid by the buckets. That's not being snarky but an honest observation. They really, truly I believe at the highest levels believe ALL the sexual abuse was a thing of the past before "they" got here and therefore let's just move on. If Johnson comes out as a whistleblower to say "yeah, it still happens. A lot." that squashes their motif.

It already made its way to reddit (notably NOT r/BSA which has a lot of official BSA types and no doubt got it deleted) Waiting for someone to post to the FB groups I know. That will be the next thing. Lot of scout folks in for a rude awakening tomorrow.

I emailed in February 2021 and got the "no longer employed" bounce-back. He may have been fired and this will get played off as "sour grapes". The other factor is that Johnson was the BSA spokesperson for "YPT is dandy". Now all his prior comments to the press about how BSA takes YP seriously will get thrown back in his face.

Ok, so I want to bring this announcement into the bankruptcy context. What could it mean? Johnson's getting a deposition and document demand notice from like, everyone. The next hearing date is October 19. I'd lay Vegas odds his name or existence gets mentioned no fewer than 4 times. It is too late to stop the presses: the ballots are out the door. But the schedule calls for a "supplemental" document drop in the middle of voting. What can go in there? This is what the court's order says https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/9d623e3a-8baa-4d7d-a583-0d74bce4c415_6528.pdf So, the TCC can try to get Johnson's existence or even better a deposition from him into the supplemental that goes out. And BSA can oppose it. Let's see if they will. If I'm the Stang on behalf of the TCC I am simply putting in a copy of Johnson's declaration under oath/perjury with the words VOTE NO in 72 point font.

Right, that and the verb tense used in the PR release ("now" "present") screams MJ. But I don't want to assume too much.

There is the possibility to send out a "supplemental" document about 30 days into voting. But I don't know what that can include. Can it include a "to heck with this" note from the FCR? Again, state court guy, not bankruptcy.

By the way, I am going tin foil hat here a second. Anyone believe in coincidences? That this is coming out the same week (day?) solicitation packages are showing up in the mailboxes of the 82,500 victims? This was sitting in someone's pocket waiting for the most opportune time. Which would be right about....now /tinfoilhat

Yeah, but I'm hedging bets because sure enough that would be the prediction and then it turns out to be someone from the 1980s period. But odds are MJ.

The math doesn't or does work, I don't know, but again cannot discount anything.

And by the way: everybody here who’s been for the last two years telling me about how great youth protection is and how Boy Scouts takes youth protection seriously? tomorrow is your reckoning. Say goodbye to BSA I’m serious say goodbye to BSA they are done you don’t have the head of your youth protection program come out in a public statement like this and expect to survive. say goodbye.

If the former head of youth protection for the Boy Scouts of America is ready to say it is crud you can say goodbye to the bankruptcy. He will be the star witness in every single lawsuit filed from now until doomsday. why on earth would anyone ever want to settle now? even if they offered 2.7 million why would you even want that now? After this all you have to do is walk into a courtroom compel this guy to testify and just name your number.

Michael Johnson was in from 2010-2021 The math is about right https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/boy-scouts-of-america-appoints-michael-johnson-as-youth-protection-director/ Not saying it was Johnson. Saying Johnson would make sense.

Just as a point of reference and I’m glad this article alludes to it but I have had so many people in my troop and at my roundtable tell me that the bankruptcy is over the deal is been struck and everything‘s gonna be fine. The report that came out several weeks ago of the RSA being approved and the fact that local councils have still not exactly been forthcoming is going to slam people like a bat to the back of the head when this plan gets voted down. everybody’s convinced it’s all over things are fine because they read online a deal got struck. We’re going to be deep into 2022 before we see anything that even looks like daylight.

2.7 pennies I would think. Anything to save BSA and the camps.