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Milwaukee DA John Chisholm calls for a statewide review of Catholic Church abuse files
By Annysa Johnson
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm is calling for a statewide investigation of the Catholic Church's response to allegations of sexual abuse of minors, similar to the Pennsylvania probe that sparked a wave of inquiries across the country. Chisholm said he would like to work with district attorneys around the state and newly elected Attorney General Josh Kaul to review all abuse allegations over the last 50 years. He said he would hope the state's bishops would voluntarily open their files. If not, he said, he would be open to other mechanisms, such as a John Doe or grand jury proceeding. Chisholm said he also would consider asking the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to share with authorities the names of more than 100 alleged offenders under seal as part of the now-closed Archdiocese of Milwaukee bankruptcy. "I strongly believe that we should have access to all of the dioceses' complaints for the last 50 years, similar to a process we started in Milwaukee County in the early 2000s," Chisholm said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He acknowledged "criminal prosecutions in most cases would be highly unlikely" because victims or perpetrators may have died or the statute of limitations has run out. "I still think there's a value in looking at this systematically and assessing what happened, just to make sure it is transparent and there's an honest accounting of it," he said. Repeated efforts by the Journal Sentinel to reach Kaul to gauge his interest in a statewide probe have not been successful, but a comment from his staff over the weekend suggests he may be considering such a move. Kaul's office told the Wisconsin State Journal on Saturday that it would not comment on a request by the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests for him to open a statewide investigation, “given this relates to a potential investigation.” Abuse survivor and founding SNAP member Peter Isely called the developments "promising" and heartening for victim-survivors who have been calling on state and federal authorities to launch such a probe for years. "To see law enforcement really begin to step up and speak in clear and unambiguous terms about this ... it's long overdue," said Isely, adding that the criminal justice system was often complicit in protecting priests and church officials over the years. "There is so much evidence here ... and it is stronger than in many of the states that have opened investigations. It's absolutely imperative that it is done. And that it be done thoroughly and completely." Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki, said records in the 10-county archdiocese have been reviewed extensively by the Milwaukee County DA's office, attorneys for abuse survivors and the federal courts. "The archdiocese was among the first dioceses in the country to publicly release the names of priest offenders and remains committed to transparency in its ongoing response to clergy sexual abuse of minors," he said in a text to the Journal Sentinel. The call for a Wisconsin probe comes as Catholic dioceses and religious orders around the nation have been divulging the names of priests with credible allegations against them dating back decades. Last week, the Green Bay diocese posted the names of more than 40 alleged offenders on its website, and the Madison diocese said it is considering conducting a review that could lead to a similar move. Since late last year, the Jesuit religious order has named more than 150 priests, including several with ties to Wisconsin. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee first posted its list in 2004 and has added five names since then. The La Crosse diocese has said it is reviewing is files and expects to make a decision this year. Efforts to reach the Superior diocese have not been successful. In releasing the names after years of pleading from survivors, Catholic leaders say they are responding to the faithful's growing demands for accountability. But critics suggest church officials are equally motivated by a desire to get ahead of any potential civil investigations launched in the wake of a damning report issued by a Pennsylvania grand jury in August. That report identified more than 300 "predator priests" who abused more than 1,000 victims across the state. Since then, authorities have launched similar investigations in more than a dozen states. And a federal prosecutor has put church officials across the country on notice that they are not to destroy certain documents. Survivors of childhood sexual abuse in Milwaukee and around the world have long accused church leaders of shielding perpetrators — transferring them from post to post without sharing their histories — and discrediting victims in an attempt to protect the church and its assets. To date, nearly 20 Catholic dioceses — including Milwaukee — and religious orders have filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of lawsuits and allegations of abuse. Isely said a Wisconsin investigation would have global implications because bishops who served here have gone on to prominent positions around the world. That includes former Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan, now cardinal of New York; former La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke, now a cardinal at the Vatican; and former Green Bay Bishop David Zubik, now bishop of Pittsburgh, whose actions were cited in the Pennsylvania report. Retired priest and victim advocate the Rev. James Connell said any probe should also include religious orders, and that it must focus not just on the abuse but on the efforts by bishops to cover up the crisis. "Any investigation should attempt to determine to what extent bishops worked together to avoid telling the truth," said Connell, a canon lawyer and former vice chancellor for the Milwaukee archdiocese. "And without justice, there can be no healing."
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