Giuliani Defends, Employs Priest Accused of Molesting Teens

ABC News ^ | 23 Oct 2007 | BRIAN ROSS and AVNI PATEL

[BGHater]

Heads up on this one, this one will gain attention.

[Salvey]

"We give some of the worst people in our society the presumption of innocence and benefit of the doubt," he said. "And, of course, I'm going to give that to one of my closest friends."

Rudy's right.

[highball]

Rudy's right from a legal perspective. But just becuse a man deserves legal presumption of innocence doesn't mean that we have to pretend the allegations don't exist.

Considering Rudy's prior history defending his mobbed-up pal (even going so far as to nominate him for Homeland Security chief), this speaks directly to Rudy's character. If one wants to be charitable, Rudy picks some unworthy friends to receive his steadfast loyalty.

[isrul]

Yes he is. Accusations do not equate to guilt. I don’t care how many people make accusations.

[DemEater]

“”We give some of the worst people in our society the presumption of innocence and benefit of the doubt,” And, of course, I’m going to give that to one of my closest friends.”

“Rudy’s right.”

He’s right but he doesn’t have a good track record in this regard. Think Bernie Kerik.

[CholeraJoe]

Adolf Hitler was never brought to trial. Do you consider him innocent, too?

[Greg F]

It is ironic that Guilianni, a lukewarm Catholic at best, would manage to get himself involved in a pedophilia scandal within the church.

[Rudder]

I couldn’t find it in the article, but is this priest guilty?

[trisham]

Considering Rudy's prior history defending his mobbed-up pal (even going so far as to nominate him for Homeland Security chief), this speaks directly to Rudy's character. If one wants to be charitable, Rudy picks some unworthy friends to receive his steadfast loyalty.

**************

Agreed.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"We give some of the worst people in our society the presumption of innocence and benefit of the doubt," he said.

Precisely this same principle, in fact, is employed routinely, en masse, by Giuliani apologists themselves, in attempting to rationalize their own addled devotion towards an unapologetic supporter of illegal immigration, homosexual marriages and infanticide.

[commonguymd]

Good to see this and I hope it is the catalyst that starts to take Rudy down in this election. Let the Real men like Fred, Duncan, and John rise to the top.

No Huck! No Mitt! And definately No Rudy!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

You need to be here. ;)

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

You’ll want to see this, too. ;)

[Triple]

If the priest is not a pedophile, then he was wrongly dismissed from the church, and being a lawyer - should be getting really rich off the slander put on him by Tollner.

Is he filing suit against Tollner? (not in this lifetime)

This “priest should be shunned, and all those who do not shun him - should be shunned as well.

3

[misterrob]

Wow....

I hear all sorts of things about CholeraJoe. All sorts of vile and nasty things. Must be guilty even though I have seen no definitive proof and I am only going by my own knee jerk reactions based on what someone else claims. Anyone who defends his right to due process under the law must be someone who is a pedohile loving liberal too.

How’s that for logic?

[isrul]

If you have evidence that priest is guilty, let’s hear it. Accusations without evidence are meaningless.

[isrul]

Being guilty isn’t necessary to some folks. The accusdation is enough.

[misterrob]

Those 3 privileged white boys from Duke who raped that poor single Mom were guilty, right? Amazing what people want to believe. If he's found guilty beyond all doubt then shoot him. Otherwise, let him have his day in court.

[dforest]

Rooty seems to have poor judgement. The Bernie recommendation for HSC, this, his marital scandals.

This kind of thing is just the beginning, Yikes.

[CholeraJoe]

C’mon people. The Holy Church doesn’t defrock a monsignor without lots of cause. You can shovel that “not convicted in court” BS about OJ and Hillary, but not about a defrocked priest accused of pedophilia.