Cameraman claims Scully smelled of alcohol
MEGHANNE DOWNES
Associate News Editor
A cameraman from WNDU-TV said he smelled alcohol on the breath of Notre Dame executive vice president Father Tim Scully when Scully confronted him and a WNDU reporter before a Mass Thursday for freshman Chad Sharon.
Patrick Hartney said he and Bonnie Druker, the WNDU reporter, were standing in a foyer outside Fisher's chapel when Scully approached them at 9:50 p.m. from several feet away and asked them what station they were from. Hartney said Scully made a scene in the manner he confronted them and then escorted both Druker and himself by their arms outside.
Scully confronted them because they parked both a car and news van behind Fisher Hall illegally.
"He chewed us out. His manner was disturbing. I thought he was overly tempered and a calmer approach would have been more acceptable," said Hartney. "I smelled alcohol on his breath and he touched us, but he certainly didn't cause me any physical harm."
Scully did not return phone calls seeking comment. Both Rex Rakow, Notre Dame Security and Police director, and Matt Storin, associate vice president for news and information, declined comment.
Hartney said he saw the confrontation as a stern lecturing and added that Scully was correct in asking them to move the vehicles.
Druker moved the vehicles while Hartney returned to Fisher Hall to cover the Mass and left by 10:10 p.m., a time previous established by the University when media representatives had to leave the chapel.
Hartney did not witness any further confrontations involving the priest.
Notre Dame Security and Police officer David Austin interviewed Druker and Hartney at the WNDU-TV station shortly after midnight Friday morning and Druker filed a report. Hartney did not file a report but provided witness information.
"I honestly think it was unfortunate," said Hartney. "He had his reasons for doing what he did and I think he overreacted. As far as I am concerned the situation is far behind me."
The NDSP report classified the incident as an "other assault" between a University employee and visitor over a parking violation at Fisher Hall.
Druker declined to confirm whether or not Scully grabbed her by the arm and if she smelled alcohol on his breath. She said she was determining what to comment on was not being influenced by others.
The University owns WNDU-TV and Scully is the chairman of the station's board of directors.
According to a police report obtained by The South Bend Tribune, Druker told police, "Father Scully grabbed the lower part of my right arm and pinched the arm."
Druker said Scully came to the station to apologize and she accepted his apology. Scully met with Hartney separately and said he was "out of line and the [incident] was uncalled for," according to Hartney.
Hartney said as part of his job, he makes parking violations on a daily basis in order to cover stories.
"We knew they were parked illegally but we never had a problem before on campus," Druker said.
Scully also asked WSBT-TV reporter Jennifer Kuk to move her vehicle as well, according to WSBT-TV news director Meg Sauer. Sauer said she did not think Kuk parked illegally and the station was following the rules as it understood them.
The South Bend Tribune reported that Scully approached Kuk and pushed her arm, and he later apologized to Kuk on Monday.
WSBT left the University and was unable to get the footage they planned to.
Scully, a Holy Cross priest since 1981, is the third-ranking official on Notre Dame's campus. He founded the ACE program and Holy Cross Associates, which places volunteers in ministries to the poor in the U.S. and Chile.
He has served as a professor of government and international studies since 1989.
All News Stories for Wednesday, January 22, 2003
