Michigan State Spent $500k in January to Monitor Social-media Accounts of Larry Nassar Victims, Others

By Matt Mencarini
Lansing State Journal
March 28, 2018

https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/03/28/michigan-state-social-media-monitoring-bills/466486002/

A public relations firm billed Michigan State University for more than $500,000 for January as it tracked social-media activity surrounding the Larry Nassar case that often included the accounts of victims and their families, journalists, celebrities and politicians.

Michigan State University's Office of Communication and Brand Strategy previously had been doing the work, which also included collecting and evaluating news articles, and some of its employees continued to do so in January.

The work by Weber Shandwick, a New York-based firm, totaled $517,343 for more than 1,440 hours of work, according to documents obtained through a public records request. The firm billed for work done by 18 employees, whose hourly rates ranged from $200 to $600 per hour.

Five billed Michigan State for more than $50,000, including one for $96,900 and another for $120,893.

Weber Shandwick no longer works with the university, a Michigan State spokeswoman said. She did not provide a reason and referred other questions to the firm.

A message seeking comment from Weber Shandwick wasn't immediately returned.

As of March 2, outside law firms and consulting firms had billed the university $9.69 million in connection with work on lawsuits or communications strategy related to Nassar's criminal case and related fallout. Nassar, a former university doctor, sexually abused hundreds of women and girls during his 20-year career.

A screenshot of email sent Jan. 16, 2018, from Weber Shandwick to Michigan State University staff.

Six law firms are responsible for nearly all of that total — $9 million — according to records the Lansing State Journal obtained.

However, that total doesn't include any work from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom this year. As of early March, the New York-based law firm had billed Michigan State for $5.4 million, more than any other law firm.

It also doesn't include work by Los Angeles-based law firm Latham & Watkins LLC, which is handling insurance matters related to Nassar and has billed the university for $2 million. It has two lawyers whose fees are at least $1,100 an hour.

More than 250 people are suing Michigan State and USA Gymnastics in federal court, saying Nassar sexually abused them and the organizations didn't do enough to protect them.

Those lawsuits will return to mediation, which could lead to a settlement. A previous mediation phase was unsuccessful.

A screenshot of email sent Jan. 17, 2018, from Weber Shandwick to Michigan State staff.

Since the day after the Indianapolis Star first made public sexual assault allegations against Nassar, Michigan State communications staff have been monitoring and analyzing news stories about Nassar, his criminal cases and USA Gymnastics.

Summaries of articles and social media activity, including how much attention certain tweets or stories were getting online, were emailed to other Michigan State spokespeople or to top university officials.

Later, when Weber Shandwick took over, emails also were sent to Michigan State's outside lawyers for the Nassar-related suits. Summaries recapping the previous day's media coverage also were sent to then Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon, the members of the Board of Trustees and the university's in-house lawyers.

"Conversation around the upcoming sentencing and MSU's role in the matter continues to be driven by victims of Nassar, their families and regional journalists," a Weber Shandwick employee emailed on the morning of Jan. 16, the first day of Nassar's Ingham County sentencing.

She then detailed tweets from U.S. Olympian Aly Raisman; her mother; and Jacob Denhollander, the husband of Rachael Denhollander. Rachael Denhollander was the first woman to make public allegations against Nassar.

Nassar, 54, of Holt, Mich., is serving a 60-year federal prison sentence for three child pornography convictions. He also has been sentenced to decades in state prison for 10 sexual assault charges.

On Tuesday, William Strampel, Nassar's former boss, was charged with misconduct in office, sexual assault and two counts of willful neglect of duty as part of a Michigan Attorney General's Office investigation of sexual misconduct at Michigan State University. The willful neglect of duty charges relate to Strampel's actions during and after a 2014 Title IX investigation of Nassar.