Here's Michael A. Wilner's time line, with cover up.
- In September 2008, a student, along with five other students, warned Ethan Andyshak about Wilner's drunken misbehavior and worried that such behavior might recur. The letter also worried about his sense of entitlement and lack of respect for his fellow floormates. The summer after that letter was sent Wilner was offered a job with The Strait Times and awarded one of CMC's prestigious international grants after he interviewed President Pamela Gann for the student newspaper. You can read about it in his own words here. Gann also helped him get a job with David Doss CMC '75 on the Anderson Cooper show at CNN in Summer 2010. She also reportedly gave him an exclusive access to Mitt Romney and al-Jazeera's Joumana Nammour. According to a source at The CMC Forum, she also told him who the graduation speaker would be.
- In October 2010, Wilner was arrested at Harwood Halloween and spent the evening in Claremont city jail after resisting arrest and drunken disorderly behavior. Bail was set at $10,000, which oftentimes indicates priors. Those charges were dropped for reasons not made clear.
- In February 2011, Wilner allegedly assaulted a CMC girl at the White Party by punching her in the head "at least four times" when she refused to let him have her spot on the dance floor. He is believed to have been drunk. Less than twenty-four hours after she filed a police report he was moderating an event that he organized for the Forum and interviewing the five college presidents. In that interview, he ironically questioned the new Scripps College president for having too strict a drinking policy. A comment on that interview was promptly deleted by presumably Wilner. The comment read, "Ha. Wow, this event is so much different now that we know that Wilner was drunkenly punching girls before it went down." All comments on the Forum are now pending moderator approval. Wilner is presumably the moderator. As of this writing, he failed to moderate the CMC Forum Facebook page, so I posted this comment under his article which was put put online. Wilner removed my ability to comment on The CMC Forum Facebook page and kicked me off. But I took a screenshot. See below.
Update from comment section: That last post suggesting we ignore the victim's assault is the most ridiculous thing I have read about this incident so far. When you suggest that this event is not worth taking seriously, you suggest that the policies established for student safety and code of conduct are not to be taken seriously either. You also undermine the fact that this student made an informed decision to not only report this incident to the school, but also the police [after her supposed "shit-faced" evening was over]. This kind of decision takes thinking, effort, and time - not something people care to waste over a minor event.
In case you are unaware of CMC's policies, take a look:
"Actions which cause the personal injury or death of another, or which threaten or endanger the personal safety or well-being of others. Such actions include, but are not limited to: ...
b. Engaging in disorderly conduct.
f. Physically abusing, threatening to abuse, or intimidating another person."
On the subject of CJ's continual reporting of this matter - it does appear to be overkill at first. Though even if CJ has a personal vendetta against Wilner, consider this:
"...parties to a Hearing have a duty to bring all pertinent
information concerning a case to the attention of the Board so that it may make an informed and fair judgment."
CJ's clear, RELEVANT and organized information would likely not be available to help substantiate the victims case had he not provided it.
MOST importantly, Wilner's close ties with administration/Gann creates a serious bias in the case, especially considering that the President selects the Judiciary Board, Presiding Officer(s), etc. Even "permission to participate in graduation functions pending completion of punishment conditions other than Expulsion shall be at the discretion of the President of the College."
It is BECAUSE of Wilner's close ties with the President - who has clearly gone out of her way to support him through providing internships, travel opportunities, etc. - that this extra effort to retain the publicity of this case is necessary. It does not let Wilner off the hook - nor Gann if she chooses not to reprimand him. This kind of reporting provides accountability that could otherwise be ignored. Relying on the public legal system is possible, but relying on CMC's "judicial" system that is ultimately woven by the President, and is at the sway of the President, involves a conflict of interest far too deep to put one's confidence in and expect a just outcome.
