Edwards: Louisiana will do ‘whatever it always does’ with clergy misconduct

NEW ORLEANS (LA)
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

September 20, 2018

By Julia O’Donoghue

Gov. John Bel Edwards isn’t making moves to launch a larger statewide investigation into sexual misconduct within the Catholic Church, despite allegations recently surfacing in the New Orleans and Lafayette area of sexual abuse in church institutions and a lack of transparency about those accusations.

At least eight other states have said they will conduct widespread investigations into clergy sexual misconduct after an alarming report in Pennsylvania identified 1,000 victims who were abused at the hands of 300 priests over 70 years. Louisiana’s governor said the state will continue to approach allegations of sexual abuse as it traditionally has — on a case-by-case basis.

“The state will do whatever it always does when it receives credible information that a crime has taken place. Actual information — it will be fully investigated,” Edwards said at a press conference Thursday (Sept. 20).

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