Fifty Dollar Fine, (12/18/2007 3:18:59 AM)

" Tulsa County District Judge Rebecca Nightingale last week granted a request by ORU and the administrators to require mediation. "

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So much for the desperately repeated claim by the idiot hayseed Roberts apologists that GR wanted the mediation.

Midwest, (12/18/2007 4:17:15 AM)

--GR had to agree to mediation, whether he wanted it or not, to look cooperative. --Mediation is the right thing to do. It should have been done from the beginning.

jam, tulsa (12/18/2007 5:45:39 AM)

mediation...in other words...let the coverup begin...

Gail, Tulsa, Ok (12/18/2007 6:17:13 AM)

RR and his attorneys could have done this b/f a lawsuit was filed, but they took a gamble of whether or not the professors would file the lawsuit. Typical bully tactics. No one should be surprised.

David, tulsa (12/18/2007 6:38:33 AM)

Mediation efforts sre often required but they are never binding. Simply because mediation is ordered does not mean settlement is agreed. However, It is usually economic for both parties to settle and no matter what GR says, this is about money. Hopefully, he will require some sort of truthful statement from RR. This is simply a tactic to determine from a judges standpoint how the liability lines up. I suspect ORU will settle the financial agreement and seal the terms.

DC Alumni, DC (12/18/2007 6:42:44 AM)

Richard did call before the lawsuit was filed, to talk about it, but apparently it was too little too late and he got the "we'll see you in court" sort of response. No you won't find this in a newspaper, and yes it is true. This lawsuit was going to happen no matter what took place after the dominoes were set in motion.

deb, (12/18/2007 7:03:46 AM)

Oh, I am sure Richard Roberts "told" several people how "he tried to work out" b/f it went to court. If you buy that I have some property I would like to get rid of too. Give me a break.

Midwest, (12/18/2007 7:04:15 AM)

Midwest, (12/18/2007 7:07:12 AM)

Sorry about #8. Need coffee.

Observer, Tulsa (12/18/2007 7:35:13 AM)

If the mediation is successful, we will never hear the facts of the case. Richard Roberts and ORU's attorneys will make sure there's an order that no one is allowed to discuss the case after the settlement. RR/ORU will pay to keep the truth from coming out.

Joe-Allen Doty, Tulsa, Oklahoma (12/18/2007 7:43:10 AM)

For a person to be a "hayseed," he has to have grown up on a farm where hay is grown and baled. That's like a "hick from the sticks" has to be one who grew up in a backwoods location.

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I am not being an apologist for anyone but that alcoholic minded individual has run out of ways to describe people.

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Will Richard Roberts and company consider Daniel Boudreau fair-minded also?

Graychin, Eucha (12/18/2007 8:16:09 AM)

"Observer" at #10 is exactly right. This is a huge win for ORU. Even if the mediator decides that the plaintiffs are 100% right, ORU will settle the case quietly and without disclosing any of the facts that support the plaintiffs' allegations. They will simply announce that they reached a "reasonable settlement" with the professors, and no evidence will ever be presented in open court.

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If all it takes is money to make this mess go away, ORU will jump at the chance. I know where they can get at least $70 million to buy some silence.

Rev Billy Bob and Paula Lee, Rolexville (12/18/2007 8:26:06 AM)

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learn your 3 r's, podunkville (12/18/2007 8:28:54 AM)

GR= Granville Roberts

PR = Patti Roberts

MR= Marion Robertson

RR = Reading Railroad

Karen Silkwood, (12/18/2007 8:31:02 AM)

The mediator will cut through all the smoke and mirrors set into motion by GR. RR did respond by going on Larry King but after GR "annoucned" the law suit via KOTV. The Tulsa World then reported channel 6. The snowball rolled forward. GR ran up legal bills Swails was probably handled poorly but the other two were gone and just grabbing onto the train. Swails has been paid his contract...the other two had none. So the damages caused have been to ORU and not to Swail...except for reputation. However you can be assured that ORU did have grounds to fire Swails. He was running his mouth about the allegations...to all that would listen. He then got hot-headed Hagee envolved and as a low-level Bigboy wannabe Hagee struck a match under George Pearsons. Then Green as Grass George moves quickly to grab headlines and control of a terrible mess. Ole George probably thought he was doing the right thing but then wakes up surrounded by Oral, Bill Joe and the bulk of the BOR, who slow the process down and avert the lynching. ORU has been damaged, the King and Kingdom sold into slavery and its people into desolation.

Swails, Brookers etc will get a nice parting gift without proving themselves smarter than a Fifth Grader.

Jeff, (12/18/2007 8:37:29 AM)

Perhaps it is the continuing influence of Mr. Green that will prevent RR/OR from hiding the facts from the public. I doubt that he will want to deal with the questions of why he is continuing to donate to the university that is not acting in a transparent manner.

Please remember, ORU has only received $8 million to date; the balance of the $70 million comes at the end of 90 days -- if Mr. Green believes that his continued support is warranted. I am quite pleased that the 2 BOR members who refused to complete the Senate questionnaire have seen their influence terminated.

Check it out, (12/18/2007 8:44:02 AM)

Good morning! I hope everyone is powered up and warm now. Mediation sounds wonderful. Let them face off finally. They will do this in the same room, won't they? Not just through lawyers. I should think that no matter what the outcome, there will be a catharsis effect if they can hurl their accusations at one another personally. I am sure it will be quite civilized. I do not care how the lawsuit is handled. I just want to know what the domino effect means to the university and also the credibility of Tulsa christians.

ammi, tulsa (12/18/2007 8:51:05 AM)

Mic 3:11

The heads thereof judge for reward,

and the priests thereof teach for hire,

and the prophets thereof divine for money:

yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Nothing new under the sun...as they have been so shall they be...and their sins will be turned back onto their own heads Amen

deb, (12/18/2007 9:06:09 AM)

Karen Silkwood, no one likes whiners.

Tom, Irving (12/18/2007 9:08:16 AM)

No, #17 normally mediation occurs with the parties in separate rooms and the mediator shuttling back and forth. It is never about accusations or confrontaions.Judge Danny B. is an excellent choice because he will immediately winnow down to the basic issues of liability and about this issue I am unsure, not having read the pleadings and the banter on the thousands of e-messages makes scant relevant reference to them. This might be the sticking point with Richardson who always believes himself to be the knowledgable one on whatever legal theory he is asserting based on past successes (the Texas Belo case, the Tulsa news anchor case) . His arrogant sense of righteousness might derail settlement, but probably not, Danny B. is a credible arbiter on legal issues. ORU will only send the people who have the authority to ok payment, I assume the legal team and the Board member chosen for that purpose. They will already have payment authority when they enter the room. Plaintiffs' team will try to max out settlement up to that amount. It rarely is a matter of "How much will you pay us to settle?, or How much will we have to pay you to settle?" Those instances only arise when insurance policy coverage is at issue in cut and dried cases. ORU wants out and will pay big bucks to get out, it never seemed that Plaintiffs case was that strong, but lucky for them that isn't the issue now. Mediation is almost always for the benefit of the defendant, but that may not be the case here.

Ken Staley, (12/18/2007 9:36:18 AM)

To all of the RR naysayers:He screwed up... now how about you? When you stand before God at the end of your life God won't ask you "What did you think of the way RR lived? He will ask "How did you serve me with the life I gave you? Did you do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God"? When Jesus told Peter his future (and it wasn't a pretty one) Peter then pointed to John and said "What about him"? Jesus reply was "if I want him to live till I return what is that to you? YOU FOLLOW ME"

Jesus is not going to hang his head when you stand before him and apologize to you because RR screwed up. You will give account of your life and if you surrendered to Him. Pretty scary stuff for those who are so full of pride as I read in these blogs.

deb, (12/18/2007 9:50:56 AM)

To: Ken Staley, everytime I listen to an interview from a Christian when something happens newsworthy I always hope someone like you is not being interviewed because you make Christians look foolish.

Check it out, (12/18/2007 9:52:07 AM)

Are the lawsuits with the accountant and students still in play or are they being mediated as well? Thanks Tom for clearing up the process. Are these hearings public record the same as court preceedings?

OHMYGOSH, (12/18/2007 10:23:19 AM)

Tom and Check it out- Mediation can and does take place with the parties in the same room all the time. Mediators do not make decisions---they faciliate agreements. These are not considered hearings and are not public record unless an agreement is reached and filed with the court

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Judge Boudreau is a very skilled mediator. He will not fall prey to the "we have been praying for you line" or "the secret handshake" common among the ORU type con artists...and most likely some of the posters on this board.

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Geeze-Lousezze, it's good to be back on-line and watching all this transpire.

Meditation Realities, (12/18/2007 10:24:33 AM)

I have a friend who had a legitimate grievance with a well-known media ministry. When the lawyers met for mediation, in order to settle the situation and receive an apology, she had to sign an agreement that she would NEVER talk about the situation again--even though the people involved still continued to murmur and spread rumors about her. Because of her loyalty to the ministry and belief that they would do the right thing, she VERBALLY agreed to one very important point. The ministry's lawyer DID NOT keep his verbal word. Hey, it was not in writing. Too bad.

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Again, she felt betrayed and devastated, but she was bound by her word and the agreement not to say anything. Mediating is in a ministry's favor. It makes sure that embarrassing truths are not aired publicly. The ministry goes about business as usual, because they escape accountability—again and again and again. If constituents do not know how things work behind closed doors and sealed mediation papers, donors continue to give and give and give $$$$$$$$$.

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After all, these ministries do so much good! Right? She and her family were devastated. They will never fully recover from the abuse and the betrayal. The ministry marched on...did not miss a beat. If people saw all the lawsuits this ministry's lawyer settled quietly, how would donors respond? My experience is: when truth is exposed, the sheeple scream, “Liar!” Then they crucify the truth tellers. The real deceivers receive a free pass and more donations. Ministries would NEVER mistreat people or do illegal things. After all, they are 'ministries' and above man's law. Or so they think. Thankfully, they are not above God’s law.

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Personally, in this world, I believe mediation and reconciliation is best between people who call themselves 'Christians.' However...

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Why did the Roberts' camp ignore requests to talk in the first place?

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Why did the Roberts' camp wait until the lawsuit was in motion before responding or should I say going on the offensive?

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Why did the Roberts' play the Larry King card?

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Why do the Roberts' claim they are being persecuted on their TV shows? (Would a trip to Darfur would teach them the definition of real persecution?)

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Is the Roberts' camp playing legal games?

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Is the Roberts' camp dealing the 'God' card to manipulate donors?

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I cannot judge their hearts: Actions speak louder than words.