Overview

• Over 700 pages of emails reveal how New Orleans Saints and Pelicans executives assisted the Catholic Church in shaping media narratives about its clergy abuse scandal.
• Saints communications VP Greg Bensel reportedly claimed a conversation with the district attorney allowed some clergy names to be omitted from the church's 2018 abuse list, a claim denied by all parties involved.
• The emails show Saints officials, including team president Dennis Lauscha, actively strategized with the Archdiocese, providing media talking points and crisis communication support.
• Team owner Gayle Benson, a devout Catholic, supported her executives' involvement, which included lobbying local media to portray Archbishop Gregory Aymond in a positive light.
• The revelations have intensified scrutiny of the Saints' actions and raised broader questions about the intersection of sports organizations and religious institutions in handling abuse allegations.