Pa. Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal Leads Other States To Open Investigations

OAN Newsroom
August 24, 2018

http://www.oann.com/pa-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal-leads-other-states-to-open-investigations/

Bishop Ronald Gainer, of the Harrisburg Diocese, arrives to celebrate mass at the Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg, Pa., Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Gainer, who’s named in a grand jury report on rampant sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy is celebrating a Mass of forgiveness, as the Vatican expresses “shame and sorrow” over the burgeoning scandal. Photo by Matt Rourke

Victims of clergy sexual abuse, or their family members react as Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. The grand jury report released Tuesday says that number comes from records in six Roman Catholic dioceses. Photo by Matt Rourke

The grand jury’s horrific report on child abuse in Pennsylvania has led victims and officials across the nation to look into Catholic parishes in their states.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley said his office is launching a “thorough and robust investigation” of potential clergy sex abuse in the archdiocese of Saint Louis.

This comes after Archbishop Robert Carlson sent a letter to Hawley, saying the church will open its records and allow a thorough impartial review of potential clergy abuse.

“The files that we are taking about are actually files of anyone who has been accused of sexual abuse and while we don’t know the protocols yet that the attorney general’s office will use, any files that they want to see will be available to them,” Carlson explained.

Attorney General Hawley, who is running to unseat Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in the November elections, said his office will publish a report and refer credible cases to local prosecutors.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests — known as SNAP — claims there are at least 170 Catholic clerics in Missouri who have been accused of sex crimes.

SNAP has also contacted the Department of Justice about investigating the abuse and called upon attorneys general in every state to open probes like the one in Pennsylvania. Authorities are hearing these calls and taking notice.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said she would open a statewide inquiry of six dioceses in Illinois.

Additionally in Minnesota, Attorney Jeff Anderson is calling upon Governor Mark Dayton to open a grand jury investigation into all catholic dioceses in the state.

The Pennsylvania sex abuse scandal has had reverberations across the nation and is potentially the beginning of a long-term investigation.