Cardinal Mahony under federal fraud probe over abusive priests, sources say

The U.S. attorney in Los Angeles has launched a federal grand jury investigation into Cardinal Roger M. Mahony in connection with his response to the alleged molestation of children by priests in the Los Angeles Archdiocese, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the case.

The probe, in which U.S. Atty. Thomas P. O'Brien is personally involved, is aimed at determining whether Mahony, and possibly other church leaders, committed "honest services fraud" by failing to adequately deal with priests accused of sexually abusing children, said the sources, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.
One federal law enforcement source said such a prosecution could be brought under a federal statute that makes it illegal to "scheme . . . to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services."

In this case, the victims would be parishioners who relied on Mahony and other church leaders to keep their children safe from predatory priests, the source said. To convict on such a charge, prosecutors would have to prove that Mahony used the U.S. mail or some form of electronic communication in committing the alleged fraud, the source said.

Rome should have sent a Holy Inquisition to the United States precisely in order to deal over the heads of Mahoney and others like him. Can’t say I am unsympathetic when the state is doing the Church’s job.

Exactly.

I have very low regard, generally, for the way Mahoney has exercised his ministry. From what I know, he appears to be perpetually allied with objective evil. He has done more to harm the gospel through his wayward teaching regarding moral issues, to say nothing of his alleged involvement in any sex scandals or cover-ups.

If that is the case, it won’t be long before the feds think they can use this same “deprivation of honest sservices” theory to arrest churchmen who preach false doctrines.

Yikes.

This federal action is associated with pre-existing criminal complaints, so I don’t think it has the potential to go any further.

They almost got Mahony years ago, but he did some sort of legal dodge that basically prevented any one from examining his personal actions in these cases. (He is known to have been virtually complicit in some of them, helping the offenders to hide and escape.) I can’t remember how he got around it, but basically, he offered up the money of his diocese in a settlement that was designed to protect him personally.

I hope they nail him this time around.

I never heard that before.

I thought the situation was that the police did not choose to pursue the case.

Did the police inform the Vatican they were trying to serve papers?

I’m in LA. I cannot stand Mahoney, and the sooner he is replaced the better. Just what I read in Mother Angelica’s book about his ruthless attempts to silence/ destroy her were horrific.

At the same time, I am still curious what part of this is aimed at bringing the Catholic Church to its knees. Is it really just for the ‘unserved’ members, such a righteous goal?

Who is prosecuting? Why? Where is the money going?

The Catholic Church has been a target in too many countries over history, with disastrous results.

Perhaps our good pope could just ‘retire’ the Archbishop now.

The current and recent pope are responsible for this enabler remaining in his office. He's all over LA as if he's the spiritual leader when he has lost his moral authority.

He should be in Barstow hearing and going to confession as a simple priest.

If the feds put him in jail, justice will be served.

HOWEVER: it is quite dangerous when the federal government thinks it can base a prosecution on the concept that the government can decide when a church’s worship activities and religious education classes “deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.” If that is the case, it won’t be long before the feds think they can use this same “deprivation of honest services” theory to arrest churchmen who preach false doctrines.

Exactly!

The phrase "honest services" is entirely nebulous and its definition seems to to rest on what the government says it is. Any government prosecution of this type gives me the chills.

It's not too much of a stretch to imagine some slick lawyer working on behalf of the gay lobby bringing a suit which claims that teaching that homosexuality is intrinsically disordered is a denial of "honest services".

Yes, Mahony scares me but the godless, secular US government scares me more.

How ‘bout the “honest services” of ACORN, the public school system, Barney Frank, Obama’s COLB, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and Rahm Emmanuel....

just for starters.

It isn’t the police who make the decision. It’s the Attorney General. Troopers went out to his residence on a Friday afternoon around 4:00pm. He flew out of Boston the next morning. It was reported in the Boston Globe a day or so later.

Now how obvious they were when they drove up the driveway, I don’t know. He must have known they were coming. My understanding was the first-class ticket on Al Italia was purchased shortly before he was to travel and cost a lot.

ok - so what I’m wondering is, what were the papers for?

Were they trying to arrest him?
Was the trip to avoid arrest?

And if so - was the Vatican aware of this?
Was there ever a request to send his sorry a$$ home?

Time for Cardinal Mahoney to step down. Expect the Vatican to give him marching orders to step down.

You're expecting an awful lot. It's much more probable that he'll stay right where he is until at least his 75th birthday, which is more than two years from now. The chances of his getting any "marching orders" from the Vatican are almost zero.

This sounds potentially dangerous—if this succeeds, the government may be able to shut down any church which opposes politically correct beliefs (e.g. on gay rights or abortion). The Bill of Rights prevents Congress from passing a law interfering with the free exercise of religion, but doesn’t say anything about the courts doing so.

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