My Fox Los Angeles
January 28, 2009
http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=8323741&version=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
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| Cardinal Mahony |
Cardinal Roger Mahony said Thursday he was "mystified" as to why a federal investigation was looking into alleged cover- ups of sexual abuse of children by priests in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
A federal grand jury is looking into Mahony's response to allegations of child molestation against Catholic priests in the archdiocese to determine if he committed fraud, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Well, basically, we were mystified and puzzled by the whole thing," Mahony told KNX radio this morning.
He said a federal subpoena is seeking church documents on 22 priests, none of whom are still in ministry.
"Two are dead, the other 20 have returned to the lay state and are long gone," he said.
Mahony said no one has told him he is a target of the probe and that to his knowledge, only the former priests named in the subpoena are being investigated.
The initial report on The Times Web site, which cited unnamed law enforcement sources, prompted an angry response from an archdiocese attorney, who blasted federal authorities for leaking information about the probe.
"The leak by the government is unprofessional and violates Department of Justice guidelines concerning ongoing investigations," diocese attorney Michael Hennigan said.
Hennigan confirmed that the diocese has received requests for information from the U.S. Attorney's Office about numerous priests, "two of whom are deceased and none of whom are known to be in ministry."
"We have been and will continue to be fully cooperative with the investigation," he said.
Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, said he had no comment on The Times report and would not confirm whether there was an ongoing investigation.
According to The Times, the federal grand jury investigation is looking into whether Mahony and other church leaders failed to adequately protect young parishioners from predatory priests.
The legal theory under which Mahony is reportedly being investigated involves whether he and others conspired to commit federal "honest services fraud" to deprive parishioners of "the right of honest services," The Times reported.
Hennigan told The Times that Mahony was not the target of the probe.
The highest-ranking official in the Catholic Church in Southern California, Mahony has repeatedly been accused of covering up for predatory priests by moving them from church to church throughout the Southland.
A grand jury investigation by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office several years ago did not result in any charges being filed.
Two years ago, the archdiocese agreed to pay $660 million to more than 500 people who were sexually abused by priests.
In a statement, diocese officials said they were not aware of any facts that would support a responsible federal probe of the archdiocese or Mahony.
"While the history of clergy sexual abuse in the church is regrettable, it served as the foundation for broad reforms in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles," according to the statement. "Under Cardinal Mahony's leadership, the archdiocese has become a model for organizations nationwide in the education, training and detection of every aspect of abuse."
The archdiocese also called for an investigation of the leak of information "to determine the extent and depth of misconduct by those who were responsible for the leak."
Barbara Blaine, national president member of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said even the start of a probe is a vindication for victims of clergy molestation.
"More than 250 Los Angeles archdiocesan priests are proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesters," she said. "Most were repeatedly moved to unsuspecting parishes time and again despite suspicions and reports of their crimes. Some in the hierarchy must be held accountable for the devastation caused by this deceit and callousness."
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