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	Leader Calls Bishop "Pedophile Pimp" By Karen Langley Concord Monitor April 2, 2011 http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/249090/leader-calls-bishop-pedophile-pimp The Republican leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives yesterday called Bishop John McCormack a "pedophile pimp" and said the leader of the state's Roman Catholics should have been led in handcuffs from a rally against proposed budget cuts. McCormack spoke Thursday to thousands of demonstrators who gathered on the State House lawn as House lawmakers prepared to vote on a budget that significantly cuts state services. The bishop said the budget fails to meet "the fundamental requirement of our religious heritage" by caring for the poor. Yesterday morning, Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt posted a message on his Facebook page dismissing the moral authority of the bishop. Bettencourt, a Republican from Salem, wrote: "Bishop John McCormick (sic) of the Catholic Diocese of NH told the crowd, 'It's a moral concern (because) the vulnerable take priority in any society.' Would the Bishop like to discuss his history of protecting the 'vulnerable'? This man is a pedophile pimp who should have been led away from the State House in handcuffs with a rain coat over his head in disgrace. He has absolutely no moral credibility to lecture anyone." Before arriving in New Hampshire in 1998, McCormack served in Boston as a top aide to Cardinal Bernard Law, who later resigned because of the clergy sexual abuse scandal. McCormack's responsibilities included responding to complaints against priests, and he was later accused of doing too little in Boston to protect children from abusive priests. He acknowledged he made mistakes. In 2002, the New Hampshire diocese avoided criminal charges by admitting it harmed children by moving accused priests between parishes. At the time, protesters called for McCormack's resignation. McCormack turned 75 last summer, and, following canon law, offered his resignation to the pope. Bettencourt, a Catholic who said he is a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's group, said in an interview that McCormack serves as "a constant reminder of that very difficult period in our faith and our church's history." Bettencourt said he welcomes people to express their opinions at the State House, but he said McCormack had lost his authority to "lecture us on morality." "I just really took exception to his questioning the things that we tried hard to do, which is to make sure that we cared for those who couldn't care for themselves," Bettencourt said. Chief among the complaints of demonstrators Thursday were proposed cuts to human services, including plans to eliminate mental health services for 7,000 people and cut funding for domestic violence prevention, child care subsidies and community health centers. Republican budget writers have said they made difficult decisions to deliver a balanced budget while making the least harmful cuts. A spokesman for the Diocese of Manchester said Bettencourt's posting was false, defamatory and detracted from the point of McCormack's message. "The bishop speaks for the Catholic Church and the Catholic people, and the message of the Catholic Church and the Catholic faith is that you care for the poor," said spokesman Kevin Donovan. "That is a universal message that is passed down from scripture, and that message doesn't change, regardless of who communicates it." He said McCormack's message is a challenge to lawmakers and all people to never waver in caring for society's most vulnerable. Bettencourt said in the interview that while some constituents might take offense with his posting, he had written what he honestly believed. Bettencourt, 27, described Facebook as a "public forum." "Are the words harsh?" Bettencourt said. "Sure, they're harsh. But they are deserving, given this man's role in a very dark period in the church's history." Manchester Alderman Garth Corriveau used his own Facebook page yesterday to call on Bettencourt to resign. Corriveau, a Democrat, said in an interview that Bettencourt should "do the honorable thing" and step down. "I'm not a perfect Catholic, and we're not a perfect church, but if there's one thing I thought all Catholics would always be proud of, it was our church's words and actions on behalf of the poor," Corriveau said. "I don't think any Catholic, let alone our bishop, should be publicly insulted by one of the leaders of the Republican party." Yesterday evening, the Washington-based group Catholics United called on officials to denounce Bettencourt's comments. "Republican Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt has not only embarrassed himself, he's become an embarrassment to the entire state of New Hampshire," acting director James Salt said in a statement. "Bishop McCormack's comments in support of New Hampshire's poor and marginalized should be lauded, not attacked." House Speaker William O'Brien defended Bettencourt in remarks to the Associated Press, though O'Brien said he would have used different words. O'Brien, who is also a Catholic, said he would not discipline Bettencourt. "I certainly agree with the concerns," O'Brien told the AP. "I don't agree with the language or the implication of the language." The chairman of the state Republican Party said he had not spoken with Bettencourt about the comments but did not agree with them. "I am disappointed with his words, and I don't share his sentiments," Chairman Jack Kimball said in a statement. A representative of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said both church and state officials should use the moment as an opportunity to revisit policies and procedures that allow child abuse. "A politician gets mad and a bishop gets defensive and nothing changes," outreach director Barbara Dorris said in a statement. "If these gentlemen really care about kids, we'll know when they take tangible new steps toward safeguarding the vulnerable." (Karen Langley can be reached at 369-3316 or klangley@cmonitor.com.)
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