S B C U P D AT E
EC Approves Guidepost Contract, Agrees to Waive Privilege BY BRANDON PORTER
M
embers of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee (EC) voted for the waiving of attorney client privilege within the scope of an independent third-party investigation of the EC concerning the handling of sexual abuse claims. The Sexual Abuse Task Force, assembled by SBC President Ed Litton, was mandated by messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting in June and will oversee the investigation. Trustees met for more than three and a half hours via Zoom before the group voted in favor of a motion to waive privilege by a margin of 44–31. Three members abstained from the vote. Six members of the committee resigned between the October 5 meeting and the meeting on September 28. The motion, made by EC member Jared Wellman, calls for a selective waiving of attorney client privilege “that includes an investigation into any allegations of abuse, mishandling of abuse, mistreatment of victims, a pattern of intimidation of victims or advocates, and resistance
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to sexual abuse reform initiatives of the actions and decisions of staff and members of the Executive Committee from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021.” “I’m encouraged by today’s vote that honors the will of the messengers who spoke clearly in Nashville and in recent days about their desire for a transparent investigation,” Wellman said. Litton said, “I am grateful, especially after many difficult weeks of discussion, that the full, transparent, and unimpeded investigation will now commence. Even so, it is critical to remember that today’s vote marks not the end, but the beginning of this process.” The selective waiving of privilege means that documents and interviews must fit in a limited window: • Allegations of abuse by Executive Committee members. • Mishandling of abuse allegations by Executive Committee members between January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021. • Allegations of mistreatment of sexual abuse victims by Executive Committee members from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021. • Patterns of intimidation of sexual abuse victims or advocates from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021. • Resistance to sexual abuse reform initiatives from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021. The motion also gave EC Chairman Rolland Slade authority to execute the contract between the EC, the Sexual Abuse Task Force and Guidepost Solutions that was sent to trustees on Oct. 1. Guidepost is the third-party firm selected by the task force to carry out the investigation. The contract calls for the creation of a Committee of Cooperation of the Executive Committee, which will be composed of four members from the EC. Two of the members will be chosen by the Sexual Abuse Task Force, and two members will be chosen by the EC. The committee will be led by SBC President Ed Litton.
