BSA bankruptcy plan misses mark in vote by abuse claimants

By RANDALL CHASE
Associated Press

DOVER, Del. (AP) — A preliminary voting report in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy indicates the group’s reorganization plan has failed to win the desired support from tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as children. The report filed late Tuesday night shows 73% of 53,888 valid ballots were cast in support the plan, with just under 27% against. The Boy Scouts were hoping to garner at least 75% of the vote. A final voting report is due Jan. 17, but the initial results could spell trouble for the BSA’s goal of compensating survivors for decades of child sexual abuse by Scoutmaster and others while being able to emerge from bankruptcy on sound financial footing and continue the Scouting movement.