AUSTIN (TX)
KXAN TV
January 31, 2019
By Phil Prazan
Thursday, Catholic churches across Texas released names of clergy credibly accused of child sex abuse. State law constrains the Texas Attorney General from launching an investigation, as Pennsylvania’s attorney general did.
Several state lawmakers now want to give the Texas Attorney General the power to investigate those crimes without being called upon by a district attorney.
“If our state’s head law enforcement officer does not have the authority to investigate these crimes, I would support legislation that gives the Texas Attorney General the authority that he or she needs to protect Texas children and shine light on institutional cover-ups of such heinous, illegal activity,” said Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin.
“Of course the state should investigate any crimes committed against children or anyone else, for that matter,” said Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, “Priests and other religious leaders are not exempt from the law and no institution should get away with hiding criminal activities.”
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