Posted on 06/19/2021 4:22:51 AM PDT by DoodleBob
A New York priest has made his first public statement regarding the dismissal of charges against him.
Today Father George W. Rutler reached out to LifeSiteNews and other media today with the following remarks:
I want to express my gratitude to the many people who have written to me and offered their support over these last seven months.
After having diligently and thoroughly examined accusations, the Manhattan District Attorney has stated that he is not going forward against me
September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, will be the 40th anniversary of my ordination as a Catholic priest by the Servant of God Terence Cardinal Cooke. I cherish my years of service. Please continue your prayers that the Lord may lead us all to trust in His Providence.
Rutler, the author of several books, is a familiar and beloved figure to Catholics across the United States, thanks not only to his ministry but to his many appearances on EWTN. Before Ashley Gonzalez went to the media with her allegations of sexual assault, Rutler made a statement saying that the accusations against him were untrue. He said also that he had voluntarily stepped aside from his pastoral duties for the duration of the investigation.
LifeSiteNews originally broke the news of the dismissal on May 28. Manuel Gomez, the private investigator hired by Gonzalez before she went public with her accusations against Rutler, subsequently told LifeSiteNews that he was disappointed to hear that the D.A. had dropped the charges.
Gonzalez, then 22, had worked fewer than two entire shifts at the Church of St. Michael in Manhattan on November 4, 2020, when she accused the priest of watching internet porn, indecent behavior, and then attacking her “sexually, aggressively.”
Instead of immediately calling police at 1:30 AM, when she alleged the attack happened, Gonzalez contacted Manuel Gomez, the controversial proprietor of Black Ops Private Investigators, to assist her in her complaint against Rutler. In 2017, the New York Post reported that NYPD detectives had been warned against speaking with Gomez, who allegedly was part of a “cottage industry” of bogus civil rights violation claims made against the NYPD by gang members.
In support of her claims, Gonzalez released photo footage she said showed the priest watching pornography in his office. The video appears to show a man who is completely bald watching pornography in a red room decorated with portraits of cardinals.
However, LifeSiteNews has obtained a photograph of what appears to be Gonzalez’s log sheet for her November 4 shift, and it shows that at 2 AM and 3 AM, she had found everything “all safe and secure.” LifeSiteNews reached out to Gonzalez’s former employer, also named Manuel Gomez (no relation to the private investigator) of MG Security Services for confirmation, but did not receive a response.
LifeSiteNews also attempted to contact Gonzalez, but she has not responded.
Developing....
I found the timing of this hit to be too perfectly coincidental with the election mess. Fr Rutler has been a strong supporter of Trump (he reportedly blessed Trump right before the 2016 election). This charge effectively silenced Fr Rutler.
We should all thank God for this little bit of justice.
False accusations is all part of leftist’s use of lawfare against their enemies. They know all accusations must be investigated and thus all accusations accomplish the goal of tarnishing their enemies regardless of the outcome.
Never give in to bully leftists. They are hateful people who deserve to be pushed back against twice as hard. Never give a leftist any quarter.
The video seems to show a completely bald man. Did Fr. Rutler start shaving his head? I assume the area must be his desk. Then there is the question of Ms. Gonzalez phoning a security firm right afterwards...it’s unclear if this was the firm she was actually working for. Even the NYT article was very poorly written and left out many germane facts. The fact that the DA has declined to prosecute means nothing: they no doubt have more serious cases to pursue and if the goal of this exercise was to defame Fr. Rutler then ‘mission accomplished’. He will have a pall over his reputation from here on.
Sounds like a bit of a sociopath:
https://nypost.com/2017/08/24/nypd-detectives-warned-about-pi-behind-lawsuits/
“Gomez was tossed out of the station house when cops realized what he was up to, law-enforcement sources said.
Gomez runs Black Ops Private Investigators in The Bronx, which has an official address in his apartment over a laundromat and barber shop in the Pelham Bay section, but in 2015 was denied a “carry business” pistol permit by the NYPD’s Licensing Division.
Grounds for the decision included his getting fired from the NYPD for “being disciplined for negative behavior on numerous occasions,” and “false statements” on his application, which included failing to disclose that he was institutionalized for mental illness and had “three prior arrests,” court records show.”
Fr. George Rutler! The man is a living saint. Outrageous accusation!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.