Judge finds Saints emails to Catholic church are of “public concern”

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The New Orleans Saints stumbled into a dispute regarding the Catholic church’s abuse scandal, thanks to emails sent by the organization regarding the situation. On Friday, the emails moved a step closer to being publicly revealed.

According to the Associated Press, a judge ruled Friday that the emails are of “public concern,” and that a special master will determine whether to grant a request from the Associated Press to release them. Judge Ellen Hazeur rejected claims by the Saints and the Archdiocese of New Orleans that the communications were private.

The hearing before the special master has been scheduled for February 20.

The Saints have argued that they had a “minimal” role in providing P.R. assistance to the Archdiocese. Lawyers representing the individuals suing the Archdiocese for sexual abuse claimed in court documents that the Saints “appear to have had a hand in determining which names should or should not have been included on the pedophile list” generated by the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese on Thursday denied that contention.

There’s a simple way to remove all doubt as to the team’s role, whatever it may have been: Release the emails for public scrutiny and analysis.