9 Democrats Call for Church Abuse Probe

By Annysa Johnson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
February 20, 2012

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/9-democrats-call-for-church-abuse-probe-v5497d5-139778683.html

The Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which faces more than a dozen civil fraud lawsuits over its handling of clergy sex abuse cases, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. As the case proceeds, we'll have updates, analysis, documents and more.

Nine Democratic lawmakers called on the state's attorney general Monday to investigate 8,000 alleged sex offenses and as many as 100 previously unidentified offenders an attorney says are described in documents filed in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee bankruptcy.

The nine sent a letter to Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, calling the allegations, if true, "nothing short of a public safety crisis." And they asked him to investigate not just the alleged perpetrators, but anyone who may have concealed a sex crime against a child.

"We know that, left unchecked, child sexual predators will reoffend," said the letter signed by state Sens. Lena Taylor, Julie Lassa, Robert Jauch and Jessica King; and Reps. Sandy Pasch, Chris Taylor, Robert Turner, Terese Berceau and Kelda Helen Roys.

"The concealment of these offenses may already have facilitated hundreds of additional crimes against young people," they said.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Dana Brueck said the agency would review the letter and respond to the legislators.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which filed for bankruptcy protection because of its mounting sex abuse claims, has said that it turns over all allegations involving living perpetrators to the appropriate district attorneys' offices. In cases involving religious-order priests and nuns, it requires the order to report it or the archdiocese will do so.

Local bishops and key staff have been in Rome for a papal meeting and the elevation of former Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan to cardinal, and efforts to reach them and their attorneys were unsuccessful.

The advocacy group the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests welcomed the opportunity for an outside review.

"We absolutely support it. It's long overdue," said its Midwest director, Peter Isely.

"Our concern is that there could be offenders that could still be prosecuted."

In a hearing this month, attorney Jeffrey Anderson said claims filed in the bankruptcy detail about 8,000 sex acts involving children and identify 100 offenders who do not appear on the archdiocese's online list of 44 diocesan offender priests. It does not list religious-order priests and others it does not consider its own staff.

Anderson's assertion could not be independently verified because the vast majority of claims are sealed.