🚨IMMEDIATE RELEASE🚨 - I Am Being Threatened For Protecting Children...

Please watch the full video to hear my defense’s response to Camp Kanakuk’s attorneys’ demand letter requesting the removal of parts of my interview with Ro Khanna. If you would like to read both letters yourself, you can do so here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1-anLwZmDRG6Y7dor8pKldmiIlIiouSC5 Watch the FULL episode with Elizabeth Phillips: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O8WBQW4lwRpYkS3iR20u8?si=p30yIWWyREmCdQ1m3amrkQ&t=5π=3u6d1eGZTLGSX Watch the FULL episode with Ro Khanna: https://open.spotify.com/episode/159J2mL0PJcpzZlCgaxJYZ?si=QT5A713ZQy-hRdi1aw27FQ&t=5π=yxt1U4nJTkeIN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Speaker 00

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• 0:30Speaker 01

  This episode is brought to you by Nordstrom. For 125 years, Nordstrom has been part of your story. The stylist who found the perfect outfit for your big interview. The first pair of walking shoes for your one-year-old. The tomato soup you shared with your sister at the cafe. These are the moments that make Nordstrom, Nordstrom. Big or small, we're here for all of it. Celebrating 125 years with new moments still add. Discover it all in Nordstrom stores and at nordstrom.com.

• 1:00Shawn Ryan?

  I need to talk to you about something serious. Last week, I received a demand letter from lawyers representing Canuck Ministries, a Christian summer camp in Missouri. They're threatening to sue me for defamation because of something I said on my podcast with Congressman Ro Khanna. Here's what I said. I brought Elizabeth Phillips on my show, and she talked about how Canuck employees have been molesting thousands of kids for years and putting them under NDAs after settlements so they can never come out and talk about their sexual abuse and trauma. Canuck's lawyers are demanding I take down that portion of the interview, issue a public

• 1:44Shawn Ryan?

  apology, and stop talking about this. They gave me 10 days. That deadline has passed. Here's my response. No, I don't negotiate with pedophiles or the people who defend them. I'm not taking anything down. I'm not apologizing, and I'm damn sure not going to stop talking about child sexual abuse in a Christian camp that continues to operate on the same grounds where horrific abuse took place. Let me be crystal clear about the facts. Facts that Canuck's own lawyers admitted in their letter.

• 2:24Shawn Ryan?

  One. Pete Newman, a senior Canuck employee and camp director, sexually abused children at Canuck for multiple years in the early 2000s. He's now serving life sentences. Two. Between 20 and 30 civil lawsuits were filed against Canuck. Three. Multiple confidential settlement agreements were executed with victims, NDAs that prevented these kids from speaking publicly about what happened to them. Canuck can't prove the number is less than thousands. And given their own admission of a cover up, the true number is unknowable. But here's what really pisses me the fuck off.

• 3:09Shawn Ryan?

  Canuck is still operating a camp at the very location where countless children suffered horrific abuse. They're still running programs. They're still bringing kids to the exact same place. And now, they want to silence me for talking about it. This isn't about protecting their reputation. This is about protecting children, and I will not be silenced. My attorney has sent Canuck's lawyers a response. We've made it clear. If they want to sue me, bring it on. We welcome discovery. We welcome depositions of Canuck leadership about what they knew, when they knew it, and what they did or didn't do to protect children.

• 3:54Shawn Ryan?

  We welcome full disclosure of every abuse allegation, every settlement, every internal investigation, and every financial record showing whether Canuck actually suffered any harm from my statement, or whether this is just an attempt to intimidate people into silence. Under Tennessee law, Canuck will have to prove I'm lying. They'll have to prove actual malice, that I knew my statements were false, or that I had serious doubts about its truth. They can't do that. Because I relied on Elizabeth Phillips, whose brother was a victim. I relied-

• 4:33Shawn Ryan?

  on public court records relied on widespread media coverage of Pete Newman's prosecution. And most importantly, they admit the core of what I said is true. Canuck Cook employees sexually abused children. Victims were silenced by confidentiality agreements. That's not defamation. That's the truth. I want to say something directly to survivors. I see you. I believe you, and I will not stop fighting for you. Sexual abuse at youth camps, especially Christian camps that are supposed to be safe places is a matter of urgent public concern. Parents have a right to know.

• 5:18Shawn Ryan?

  Kids have a right to be protected and survivors have a right to speak. Canuck Cook's attempt to use legal threats to silence reporting on child sexual abuse in itself is newsworthy, and I'm going to keep reporting on it. To Canuck Cook, you want to talk about callous and malicious disregard for the truth? Let's talk about operating a camp where a predator had access to thousands of children for years. Let's talk about confidentiality agreements that silenced traumatized kids. Let's talk about continuing to operate on a crime scene. You're not the victim here.

• 6:00Shawn Ryan?

  The children you failed to protect are the victims. I stand by every word I said. I will not retract. I will not apologize. And if you want to sue me, my lawyers are ready. To everyone watching, this is why I do this show. This is why we tell real stories about real people. Because the truth matters. Because kids matter. And because some things are more important than money or reputation. If you want to support survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, check out No More Victims, the organization Elizabeth Phillips founded.

• 6:42Shawn Ryan?

  They're passing laws to protect kids and hold institutions like Canuckook accountable. And if you're a survivor, please know, it's not your fault. You deserve justice and there are people fighting for you. I'll keep you updated as this develops, but I'm not going to be backing down.

• 7:08Shawn Ryan?

  Hey Jeremy, what's the name of that law firm? Hush Blackwell. Hush Blackwell. I wonder how many pedophiles they've defended. That'd be an interesting piece of information to know.