Former congressman questions ‘due process’ in Paterno dismissal

{mosads}”I want them to throw the keys away on anybody who was involved in touching our youth,” he said in the Fox interview. “I do think in retrospect, I’m sure Joe Paterno felt that in not only for the children but in protecting his institution, follow-up might have better been done. But let’s at least have leaders or institutions do due process, which neither of those institutions I think have done,” he added, after referring to past allegations against Catholic priests and the failure of the Catholic Church to “hold them accountable.”

Paterno was removed as head coach of the Penn State football team on Wednesday night following the a grand jury investigation that revealed Paterno knew his assistant coach was abusing boys as early as 2002.

Paterno’s dismissal triggered protests on the Penn State campus, with many students objecting to the school’s treatment of a very popular coach.

Most lawmakers were reluctant to criticize Paterno but quick to acknowledge the sex abuse charges were serious.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator and a Penn State graduate, said “I’m sure [Paterno is] as sick and stunned about it as everyone else.”

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who defeated Sestak in his 2010 Senate run, told MSNBC earlier in the day that he would not second-guess the decision of the school and the grand jury probably had more information about the situation than anyone on the outside.