Victims of clergy sex abuse and powerful legal firm named to Harrisburg Diocese bankruptcy case

PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive.com

March 9, 2020

By Ivey DeJesus

One of five Dauphin County sisters who were sexually abused as children by a priest in the Harrisburg Diocese has been selected as a member of the committee that will oversee the diocese’s federal bankruptcy case.

Lara Fortney-McKeever along with two other survivors of clergy sex abuse have been appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office to serve on the committee.

The other two survivors are Mark J. Padula Jr., and Patrick Duggan.

The court on Friday also named Rob Kugler as the lead legal counsel to the committee. Kugler, a Minneapolis attorney, has represented sexual abuse survivors in lawsuits against the Catholic Church.

The committee – known as the Official Committee of Tort Claimants – will represent the interests of all other parties and survivors in the case, and will have a saying in critical decisions, including determining what monies and diocesan assets will be tapped to make final determinations on settlement.

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