BishopAccountability.org
	Lawyer: Take Priest off County Panel Supervisor Stands by Monsignor Linked to Child Abuse Scandal By Peggy Lowe Orange County Register [California] October 17, 2006 http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1314965.php A lawyer for victims of priest pedophiles on Monday called for the removal of Monsignor John Urell's re-nomination to a public board because of the priest's "unforgivable conduct" during the sexual abuse scandal. Urell, who currently serves on the county's human relations commission, was named in the high-profile lawsuit as a leader who helped cover up the Orange County Diocese's pedophile problem in the 1990s. That lawsuit set a record when it was settled for $10 million in May 2005. Urell is up for reappointment of a two-year term today at the weekly Board of Supervisors meeting and was nominated by Supervisor Bill Campbell. The commission of race, faith and other minorities works on issues like diversity training in the schools. John Manly, the victims' attorney, sent a letter to Campbell Monday, saying he was "horrified" that Urell serves on a board that interacts with children. "There are dozens of boys and girls in this county who were abused and there were pedophiles in ministry and John Urell kept them secret," Manly said. "That kind of person doesn't belong in any kind of position, especially one funded by taxpayer dollars." Campbell said he is aware that Urell was named in the scandal but he refused to remove the priest's name from consideration. "You gotta judge somebody by their performance on a particular commission and he's done well," Campbell said. Urell did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.