Bill Rausch appeared in DC Superior Court today for a hearing related to a charge of felony sex abuse. He stands accused of attempting to rape a coworker in the office of Ray Group International, in 2011. Since the victim shared her story, other women have come forward alleging behavior from harassment to assault dating back to 2004, the year Maura Murray, Bill's girlfriend, went missing.
Rausch arrived ten minutes before 11 and sat quietly in the front row, eyes forward, until the judge returned to his bench. He was alone. No friends, no family, no coworkers in his corner. Rausch's lawyer argued that the prosecutor should allow Rausch to review Grand Jury statements. The government is concerned that if Rausch is given the chance to copy or download the documents, he may distribute them. Grand Jury statements are secret for a good reason - to protect witnesses.
And the prosecutors in this case should be concerned about this. Rausch loves to share information he digs up on people. He did opposition research on me, a journalist covering the disappearance of his girlfriend. In fact, I believe he passed such information to people who were harassing me at that time. Rausch was also suspended by Twitter for posting my personal phone number in an attempt to dox me while he was serving as head of a propaganda campaign for the US Army. All very odd and alarming behavior.
Later, the government said it would consider a plea deal but that no deal has yet been offered. The judge said they should either work out a deal or prepare for trial before the next court date in early October.
Adding to the drama of the day, I was served with a subpoena while having lunch around the corner from the courthouse. Rausch wants access to my interviews and notes, and the names of the people who contacted me about his sex assaults and harassment. He will, of course, not be getting that info. More to come.