EXCLUSIVE: Survivors question Campion appointment at Archdiocese

By Tom Lyden
Fox 9
October 22, 2014

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/26852182/exclusive-michael-campion-joins-archdiocese-probe

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) -

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis brought in some heavy hitters to investigate the child sex abuse allegations plaguing the church, but survivors say they weren't told about a very relevant bit of history from a new hire's resume.

Tim O'Malley, the former superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, was appointed to the newly-created position of director of ministerial standards and safe environment at the end of August. Last week, he brought in his old boss -- former Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion -- to help without much fanfare; however, Campion had first-hand experience dealing with a child abuse allegation 20 years ago -- and it's a case that's very similar to those the church is accused of mishandling.

Campion's own methods are raising serious questions, but lawyers announced last week that he will join the investigation of abuse allegations after they announced a settlement involving the archdiocese. Some abuse survivors, including Bob Swiderski, welcomed the idea of having a top cop come into the church.

"We just heard he was this longtime cop," Swiderski told Fox 9 News.

Yet, back in 1993, Campion was the No. 2 guy at the BCA. That's when former Minneapolis Police Chief John Laux forwarded a letter he got from two brothers who said they were molested by a counselor at the YMCA's Camp Warren. That counselor, William Jacobs, had become the Minneapolis Park Police Chief, and Campion arranged a meeting between Jacobs and one of his victims. During that meeting, Jacobs allegedly confessed.

Speaking to Fox 9 News by phone from the chancery office, Campion claimed his hands were tied. The Attorney General's Office told him the cases were outside the statute of limitations, and the victims didn't wish to go public. So, Campion told Jacobs he was going to keep an eye on him. When asked whether he conducted an investigation, Campion said, "I did an inquiry."

Even so, it's what Campion didn't do that's so alarming. He never told the Park Board or the YMCA, and he never called the private schools -- Blake and Breck -- where Jacobs would go on to teach. He never even filed a police report. Fox 9 News asked him why, and he replied by saying, "They would attempt to identify the victim, and that's not what he wanted."

Jacobs went on to molest a 12-year-old boy, and he acquired 40,000 images of child pornography. Now, he is serving a life sentence. As for the survivors who were hoping Campion's addition would bring extra scrutiny to the church, they say they were kept in the dark about his involvement in the Jacobs case -- and they're not happy.

"As long as he's got that in his history, he didn't protect children. Others got hurt after that," Swiderski said. "It means he's not the guy for the job. Find someone else."

Campion admits he did not like how the Jacobs case was handled, and said he was frustrated. Still, he said honoring the wishes of the victims was "paramount," and he was obligated to keep his pledge to keep their identities confidential. Others would argue that it's paramount to keep an offender from finding a new victim. It's an interesting ethical question, but it is settled as a legal matter. As a mandatory reporter, his obligation is to report all allegations of sex abuse to law enforcement. Of course, in the Jacobs case, Campion was law enforcement. Additionally, he provided two-page notes to investigators when the Jacobs case went public four years ago. Officials with the archdiocese confirmed they were aware of his background in the Jacobs case when he was hired.