Frat Bro Who “Educated” SAE Pledges Is Somehow Studying to Be a Lawyer

by | March 6, 2012 at 10:15 am

It’s the most enduring question of 2012: who in Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the recently notorious Dartmouth frat, actually thought ass beers (among other carnival attractions) were a good idea? We may have an answer!

A tipster close to the fraternity tells us that C. Clark Warthen ’10 (pictured) masterminded the pledging period for which Dartmouth’s administration is prosecuting the fraternity.

Warthen’s a familiar face here at IvyGate: in 2010, he was charged with witness tampering for his 8th-grade-level intimidation of SAE brother Phil Aubart ‘10, who reported the house’s cocaine use to campus security. During the same incident,  Andrew Lohse ’12 was also charged with witness tampering, for spitting on Aubart. That may explain why, according to Dartmouth administrator David Spalding, Lohse refused to name Warthen (or anyone else, for that matter) when he reported SAE’s hazing tactics.

So here’s what the tipster told us: In fall 2009, when Lohse was pledging SAE, Warthen—currently a first-year law student at the University of Virginia (ranked 9th in the country!)—served as the house’s “Pledge Educator,” in which position he oversaw the super-secret rituals which, as Lohse claims, involved chugging ass beers, eating vomelettes, and consuming pure vinegar. (To be fair, Lohse’s account suffered from some rank exaggeration—as others have corroborated.) Apparently Warthen wanted to whip the chapter into something resembling a more traditional, “southern” fraternity. And now he’s studying law, to be a lawyer.

And yet! According to his LinkedIn profile, Warthen was Mr. Dartmouth incarnate: he gave tours of campus and served as an ambassador to Dartmouth alumni. He also interned at an executive search firm, a lobbying group, and the Virginia House of Delegates. Interestingly, his profile doesn’t mention his membership in SAE—of which he was also the Eminent Deputy Archon—an omission that seems both very pragmatic and somewhat delusional.

We’re linking to Google’s cache because after we emailed Warthen at his UVA address, he immediately deleted his LinkedIn and Facebook profiles. Warthen hasn’t responded to several inquiries about his involvement in Lohse’s pledge period.

 
12 Comments | |
 
 Print This Post
 
Read more:
  • Guest

    clearly a closeted homosexual.

  • FarAboveCayuga’sWaters

    Why is it always SAE 

  • Unaffiliated D’13

    I mean Warthen is no saint, but this isn’t journalism so much as ruining a kid’s life.  He allegedly spit in someone’s face, was acquitted, and is now trying to move on and make something of himself.  How does this serve the interest of truth?  Isn’t that what journalism is about? -Unaffiliated Dartmouth ’13

    • AD31

      There’s nothing “journalistic” about this site.

  • Dartmouth Alum

    Why is this at all relevant?  It looks like you’re just trying to drag him through the mud two years after the fact.

    And regardless, plenty of frat guys who do terrible things in college go on to be very successful in real lift.  particularly from Ivy League schools.

    • Albert

      See most Presidents of the United States

  • D’11

    This is completely unnecessary.  I get that Ivygate’s standards are extremely low, but this is just absurd.  It’s baffling to me why you feel the need to drag this kid’s name through the dirt.

  • Guest

    Retaliatory journalism! I think this is the first time I’ve ever read a “news” article in which a writer apparently gets mad at the subject of an article for refusing to comment and decides to link the page to Google’s cache so that the anonymous allegations are made more easily searchable by prospective employers in the future. Damn. 

  • Publius

    Is it just me or does anyone else think the “tipster” was definitely on the chugging end of some of those “ass beers”? Next time don’t pledge a fraternity! Or just say “no thanks” and walk out. You’re an adult…if they try to stop you call 911.  

  • D’00

    No one makes you pledge a fraternity and no one in the fraternity can make the pledges do anything.  Everyone is free to say no and walk right out the door.  I did it plenty of times in my frat when people suggested I do something stupid.  The writer of this article clearly has an agenda and the article reflects more poorly on his/her ethical standards than on Warthen’s.

  • Guest

    The article admits, “To be fair, Lohse’s account suffered from some rank exaggeration—as others have corroborated,” then goes on to assume Lohse’s account is true in its entirety to further its sensationalist purpose of needlessly smearing someone. And the justification for doing this is that he “hasn’t responded to several inquiries about his involvement in Lohse’s pledge period,” i.e. dignified this garbage with a response?? 

    This article is truly despicable on a number of levels, not least of which is the unjustified self-righteousness of the author.

  • Bubba

    Has everyone forgotten that assessment of an applicant’s character and fitness to practice law is part of passing the bar?  It’s not just a test.  That section is designed to exclude people like Mr. Warthen for moral turpitude, and tampering with a witness is certainly the kind of turpitude the State Bar takes seriously.  Whether he was acquitted or not, it’s still unseemly.