Were they really "good people" if they turned a blind eye and let it happen?

No, I would not hire him to watch my dog. His blatant disregard for decency, his lack of compassion, his cruelty, his disrespect of women and people of color, and his unmitigated selfishness and self-aggrandizement reveals that he has a serious lack of character. This disqualifies him in every way.