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Los Angeles Attorney: Many Abuse Claims Against Catholic Priests are ‘Entirely False’
TheMediaReport.com ^ | January 2, 2011 | TheMediaReport.com

Posted on 01/18/2014 11:23:29 AM PST by Salvation

Los Angeles Attorney Declares Rampant Fraud, Many Abuse Claims Against Catholic Priests are ‘Entirely False’

January 2, 2011 By TheMediaReport.com

In a stunning ten-page declaration recently submitted to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, veteran attorney Donald H. Steier stated that his investigations into claims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests have uncovered vast fraud and that his probes have revealed that many accusations are completely false.

Counselor Steier has played a role in over one hundred investigations involving Catholic clergy in Los Angeles. In his missive Mr. Steier relayed:

"One retired F.B.I. agent who worked with me to investigate many claims in the Clergy Cases told me, in his opinion, about ONE-HALF of the claims made in the Clergy Cases were either entirely false or so greatly exaggerated that the truth would not have supported a prosecutable claim for childhood sexual abuse."
(Capital letters are Steier's)

Mr. Steier also added, "In several cases my investigation has provided objective information that could not be reconciled with the truthfulness of the subjective allegations. In other words, in many cases objective facts showed that accusations were false."

Mr. Steier's declaration is a stunner. He is as experienced as anyone in studying the claims of abuse against Catholic clergy in the Los Angeles area. Also among Steier's eye-opening statements:

Steier signed and submitted the declaration "under penalty of perjury" November 30, 2010. Los Angeles County Superior Court officially filed it at 11 a.m. on December 15, 2010.

Steier also took aim at the outspoken advocacy group SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests):

They maintain an interactive Internet website with a user 'Forum' and 'Message Board,' among other features, where people can share detailed information between alleged victims pertaining to identity of specific alleged perpetrators, their alleged 'modus operandi,' and other details of alleged molestation. In effect, a person who wanted to make a false claim of sexual abuse by a priest could go to that website and find a 'blueprint' of factual allegations to make that would coincide with allegations made by other people. Law enforcement also uses the S.N.A.P. website to attempt to locate new victims and allegations against Catholic priests.

Needless to say, SNAP had a fit at the sight of Steier's declaration. In a frantic press statement dated December 13, 2010, SNAP derided Steier's declaration as a "legal maneuver" that was "among the most outrageous and hurtful ever made by a church defense lawyer." In addition to claiming it will file a complaint with the California Bar Association, it demanded that Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony "denounce Steier's claims and to disclose how much archdiocesan money has been paid to Steier." (Gee, the last time I checked, SNAP steadfastly refused to divulge how much of its income is derived from the number of lawyers with whom it closely collaborates!)

Yet there is a glaring absence from SNAP's statement. The organization does not refute nor deny any of the specific claims made by Steier. It simply labels them as "outrageous" and "hurtful." That is hardly a blow to the explosive declaration aired by the veteran attorney.

Yes, Catholic priests terribly abused minors, and bishops failed to stop the harm. That's an undeniable truth. There are few crimes that revolt more than sexual abuse. The abuse of minors is a dark episode that the Church will forever have to live with.

Yet major media outlets have largely ignored a major element to the entire Catholic abuse scandal narrative.

Here is Wall Street Journal writer Dorothy Rabinowitz:

"People have to come to understand that there is a large scam going on with personal injury attorneys, and what began as a serious effort has now expanded to become a huge money-making proposition."

Surprise: Ms. Rabinowitz made her remark in 2005. Since then, the Church has doled out an additional $1 billion in settlements.

Will 2011 be the year that the media finally begins to take a closer look at many of the claims being made? What about the suspicious relationships between SNAP, lawyers, and many in the media? (Vincent Carroll at the Denver Post is a rare voice of acknowledgement: "[F]raudulent or highly dubious accusations are more common than is acknowledged in coverage of the church scandals — although they should not be surprising, given the monumental settlements various dioceses have paid out over the years" (Oct. 10, 2010).)

Stay tuned.



TOPICS: Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: abuse; catholic; churchscandal; fraud; legal
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To: smvoice; Salvation; NKP_Vet
No, the real difference is that practicing, faithful, Catholics know that Satan runs the media and attacks those who are faithful with the most vile accusations possible.

The anti-Catholic crowd are so blind, deluded by heresy, and devoid of love for others, that they rush to embrace as fonts of truth the very same media that constantly mocks Christ whenever that media attacks a Christian said anti-Catholic doesn't agree with, Catholics in particular.

We Christians pray for such lost sheep who are so bereft of Christian insight that they dance to media tunes.

81 posted on 01/18/2014 2:40:33 PM PST by Rashputin (Jesus Christ doesn't evacuate His troops, He leads them to victory.)
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To: annalex
Anyone remotely familiar to the American justice system should take it for granted that the bulk of the claims are pure fraud

The investigator says half but you say the bulk of them...Well why are we listening to the investigator then???

How many are fraudulent, 80, 90 percent???

82 posted on 01/18/2014 2:41:44 PM PST by Iscool
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To: Rashputin

**We Christians pray for such lost sheep who are so bereft of Christian insight that they dance to media tunes.**

Praying for them.


83 posted on 01/18/2014 2:44:55 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Los Angeles Attorney Declares Rampant Fraud, Many Abuse Claims Against Catholic Priests are ‘Entirely False’

So?


FR MORMONs make this same claim all the time; but PROOF gets tossed into their faces!

84 posted on 01/18/2014 2:55:51 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Salvation; verga
Praying for them.

Verga's praying for ME!

85 posted on 01/18/2014 2:56:57 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin; smvoice; Salvation; NKP_Vet; daniel1212; Iscool; CynicalBear
The anti-Catholic crowd are so blind, deluded by heresy, and devoid of love for others, that they rush to embrace as fonts of truth the very same media that constantly mocks Christ whenever that media attacks a Christian said anti-Catholic doesn't agree with, Catholics in particular.

Let me properly rephrase that:

The Catholic crowd are so blind, deluded by heresy from their man-made organization cult, and devoid of Christian love for others, that they rush to embrace as fonts of truth the very same media that constantly mocks Christ whenever that media attacks anybody but Catholics in particular.

Your Protestant bashing has been duly noted, Rash....

86 posted on 01/18/2014 3:06:54 PM PST by WVKayaker ("Today, doesn't it seem like we have a Corrupt Bastards Club in D.C.? On steroids?" -Sarah Palin)
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To: WVKayaker

FAIL!


87 posted on 01/18/2014 3:11:14 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious! We reserve the right to serve refuse to anyone!)
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To: Iscool

I don’t get paid by anyone, so listen to me. The bulk of them.


88 posted on 01/18/2014 3:15:55 PM PST by annalex (fear them not)
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To: WVKayaker
"Your Protestant bashing has been duly noted, Rash....

How very interesting, a comment that speaks volumes about the twisted views of the commenter.

I specifically sate, "anti-Catholics" which identifies a group holding a specific set of views and the response ignores that fact and pretends I've attacked all Protestants.

89 posted on 01/18/2014 3:23:30 PM PST by Rashputin (Jesus Christ doesn't evacuate His troops, He leads them to victory.)
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To: Kenny Bunk
What i meant was that until this scandal there was much more reverence for churches and its clergy (see Honesty and Ethics Rating of Clergy Slides to New Low ) - which is not only because of the sex scandal - and i think law enforcement were more reluctant to go marching into a church because someone with a axe to grind made a fallacious complaint. But insofar as you will not be ruled from within then you will be dealt with from without, to varying degrees.
90 posted on 01/18/2014 3:37:52 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: Rashputin; Elsie
How very interesting, a comment that speaks volumes about the twisted views of the Catholics herein!

I specifically sate (sic), "anti-Catholics" which identifies a group holding a specific set of views and the response ignores that fact and pretends I've attacked all Protestants.- rash

What you said speaks eternally! Your definition of Anti-Catholic is anybody that disagrees with your cult.

I am a member in good standing, in the oldest church in the world. It was started at the beginning of this world, and was made institutional in our HEARTS with the crucifixion, resurrection, and sending forth His Holy Spirit to dwell in His church.

God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24). He doesn't live in any gold plated temple... and certainly needs no elegantly dressed pretenders.

WE ARE ALL PRIESTS! (1 Peter 2: 4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...

91 posted on 01/18/2014 3:41:55 PM PST by WVKayaker ("Today, doesn't it seem like we have a Corrupt Bastards Club in D.C.? On steroids?" -Sarah Palin)
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To: smvoice; Salvation; Gamecock; metmom
>>The DIFFERENCE between RCC abuse and Protestant abuse is the FACT that ROME declares the ability to retain or remit the sins of her followers.<<

Imagine those children who have been taught from the first time they could understand that the priest held their eternal life in their hands. The insidious evil those priests perpetrated is beyond comprehension.

Catholics trying to minimize the situation is stunning. The cultish power that the RCC has over its followers is pervasive and evil. Just the fact that the RCC has tolerated even one half of the allegations should alert the followers that it is not what it purports to be.

92 posted on 01/18/2014 3:43:16 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ)
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To: Salvation; mlizzy; Arthur McGowan; mc5cents; RichInOC; Prince of Space; JoeFromSidney; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.

93 posted on 01/18/2014 3:44:01 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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To: CynicalBear

94 posted on 01/18/2014 3:45:18 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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To: WVKayaker

95 posted on 01/18/2014 3:45:54 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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To: Salvation

That list is the most pathetic defense of an evil organization I have ever seen. What ever caused you to believe that the fact that other organizations do something similar would ever vindicate or reduce the evil that the RCC has perpetrated? Just the fact that you post that list each time this subject comes up is sick. Shame on you.


96 posted on 01/18/2014 3:47:01 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ)
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To: metmom
By defrocking those who are known abusers, especially those who went into the priesthood under false pretenses in order to have access to children, it will eliminate that element from the priesthood.
That is what is done. Did you not know that? Hiding under a rock maybe?

Pope defrocks 400 priests in 2 years

VATICAN CITY – A document obtained by The Associated Press shows Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests over just two years for molesting children.

97 posted on 01/18/2014 3:48:26 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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To: Hugin
‘Passing the trash’

Too often, problem teachers are allowed to leave quietly. That can mean future abuse for another student and another school district.

“They might deal with it internally, suspending the person or having the person move on. So their license is never investigated,” says Charol Shakeshaft, a leading expert in teacher sex abuse who heads the educational leadership department at Virginia Commonwealth University.

It’s a dynamic so common it has its own nicknames—“passing the trash” or the “mobile molester.”

Laws in several states require that even an allegation of sexual misconduct be reported to the state departments that oversee teacher licenses. But there’s no consistent enforcement, so such laws are easy to ignore.

School officials fear public embarrassment as much as the perpetrators do, Shakeshaft says. They want to avoid the fallout from going up against a popular teacher. They also don’t want to get sued by teachers or victims, and they don’t want to face a challenge from a strong union.


98 posted on 01/18/2014 3:49:49 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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To: fr_freak

Evidence? Who needs that?


99 posted on 01/18/2014 3:50:45 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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To: WVKayaker

“Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”

Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you?

What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him

Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?”

He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.” [John 6: 49-71]


100 posted on 01/18/2014 3:51:54 PM PST by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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