Attorneys for former Penn State President Graham Spanier, who is now facing charges in relation to the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse case, said there is no factual basis for the claims made by prosecutors.
According to the statement, Spanier's attorneys believe the charges were based in politics. The statement was issued by Timothy K. Lewis and Elizabeth Ainslie from Schader Harrison Segal and Lewis as well as Peter F. Vaira and Jack Riley from Vaira and Riley PC.
"These charges are the work of a vindictive and politically motivated governor working through an un-elected attorney general, Linda Kelly, whom he appointed to do his bidding and who will be a lame duck five days from now," according to the attorneys' statement.
Charges of perjury, child endangerment, conspiracy and obstruction of justice were filed against Spanier on Thursday. The charges are the first filed against him with regard to the Sandusky case.
Sandusky was found guilty on 45 counts of child sex abuse. Many of the incidents occurred on Penn State's campus. Former Penn State administrators Tim Curley and Gary Schultz are also charged in relation to the case.
Spanier and his attorneys have been attempting to meet with the Office of the Attorney General for an entire year, according to the statement. Prosecutors have "steadfastly refused" to meet with them, the attorneys maintain.
In the statement, Spanier's attorneys denied that he knew about the 1998 investigation of Sandusky and said he was told the incident that occured in 2001 was "horseplay."
