Lawmakers Want to Give AG Power to Investigate Accused Priests

By Phil Prazan
KXAN TV
January 31, 2019

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/lawmakers-want-to-give-ag-power-to-investigate-accused-priests/1742729317

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.

Texas AG hands tied from prosecution...

"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."

"I haven't spoken with the AG's office about this particularly reviling aspect of sexual assault," said Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, "But I would be open to exploring the issue of concurrent jurisdiction if it was determined that this was the best path forward to bringing justice to these victims."

KXAN reached out to the three most influential people in state government - Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen - and has not yet heard back.

Neither have other central Texas lawmakers responded to KXAN: Austin Democrats Kirk Watson, Gina Hinojosa, Vikki Goodwin, and Sheryl Cole, central Texas democrats James Talarico, John Bucy III, and Erin Zweiner, and central Texas Republicans Charles Schwertner, Donna Campbell, Terry Wilson, and John Cyrier.

A bill to give the Attorney General primary or concurrent jurisdiction - the ability to launch investigations without a local request - has yet to be filed.