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	Man Charged with Threatening Legislators Is Deacon's Son By Brian Lockhart The Advocate March 19, 2009 http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/localnews/ci_11952634 HARTFORD -- The 26-year-old New Britain man charged with sending a harassing e-mail to state Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, and state Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, over a controversial church financing bill is the son of a retired Catholic deacon. Timothy Kane allegedly sent McDonald and Lawlor an e-mail containing "alarming and derogatory statements" for their support of a bill allowing the laity greater control over Catholic parish finances. Timothy Kane is the son of former deacon Joseph Kane, said Michael Culhane, executive director of the Connecticut Catholic Conference. Culhane said he knew the elder Kane, originally from New Britain, but has not spoken to him in a few years. Culhane could not recall which parish he served. Joseph Kane could not be reached for comment. A staffer at St. Jerome Roman Catholic Church in New Britain confirmed a Joseph Kane had been a deacon there but did not know how to get in touch with him. Culhane said he did not know Timothy Kane. The Judiciary Committee Thursday killed the legislation, which touched off a firestorm of criticism. During the meeting, Lawlor said he and McDonald were targets of what they thought were legitimate threats. "I had to take some rather extraordinary precautions," Lawlor said. Culhane said there are two types of Catholic deacons. A "transitioning deacon" is the last position before ordination as a priest, Culhane said. Kane was a "permanent deacon", meaning he went through years of study but did not take the final steps to priesthood. Culhane said the Catholic Conference "does not in any way condone any threats of or acts of violence against anyone for any reason regarding any issue." The more than 3,500 people, many of them Catholics, who protested the bill at the Capitol last week did so without incident, he said. During the Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, state Rep. Arthur O'Neill, R-Southbury, a critic of the church finance bill, said threats have no place in the debate. "If you harass people, threaten people, legislators, you're not on my side," O'Neill said. Timothy Kane was released on a $500 bond. -- Staff Writer Brian Lockhart can be reached at brian.lockhart@scni.com or 750-5352.
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