Catholic Church spent $2M on major N.Y. lobbying firms to block child-sex law reform

[doggie]

well isn't this just nice. 

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/catholic-church-hired-lobby-firms-block-n-y-kid-rape-laws-article-1.2655010

 

Quote

ALBANY — Not leaving it to divine chance, the state Catholic Conference has turned in recent years to some of Albany’s most well-connected and influential lobby firms to help block a bill that would make it easier for child sex abuse victims to seek justice.

The Catholic Conference, headed by Timothy Cardinal Dolan, has used Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, Patricia Lynch & Associates, Hank Sheinkopf, and Mark Behan Communications to lobby against the Child Victims Act as well as for or against other measures.

All told, the conference spent more than $2.1 million on lobbying from 2007 through the end of 2015, state records show. That does not include the conference’s own internal lobbying team.

Filings show the lobbyists were retained, in part, to work on issues associated with “statute of limitations” and “timelines for commencing certain civil actions related to sex offenses.” Other issues included parochial school funding and investment tax credits.

Cardinal Dolan ripped for stalling to talk child sex abuse

“They are willing to spend limitless money in order to basically keep bad guys from being accountable for their actions,” said Melanie Blow, chief operations officer of the Stop Abuse Campaign. “I think they’re doing it because they don’t want to have to pay out settlements.”

Added Kathryn Robb, an advocate and survivor who says she was abused by her brother as a 9-year-old: “If they need to spend that much money on lobbying, clearly, then, they have some pretty big secrets to hide.”

 

[Sundaymorning]

Doesn't surprise me at all, here, the Roman Catholic Church shows its real face. They love lecturing other people about sexual, political, economical etc. matters (just look at the current pope), but when something affects their own interests, they are ruthless and break all the rules of the moral behaviour they otherwise like to preach about to others.

[Ungodly Grandma]

The Catholic Church is ultimately about control. They still can't quite believe it is no longer the Middle Ages, and even women (gasp) can think for themselves. 

[Dreadcrumbs]

Nothing surprises me anymore. 

[paganbaby]

Quote

Another top firm, Patricia Lynch & Associates, whose namesake had close ties to now disgraced Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, was hired by the Catholic Conference in 2009. Lynch’s firm for many years was ranked in the top 3 of well-paid lobbyists.

 

"Close ties" is putting it tactfully. An LGBT blog followed some dots. Silver allegedly had an affair with Lynch. After the affair began, he dropped his support for the Child Victims Act.

http://www.joemygod.com/2016/04/16/report-disgraced-former-ny-assembly-speaker-had-affair-with-lobbyist-hired-by-catholic-church/

This is why the relatives I have who are still in the church are all very elderly, and, although the term would offend them, they're cafeteria Catholics who agree with the Pope that Jesus was God and we should be nice to others but not much else.

I won't give that organization a penny, no matter what the stated cause. There are plenty of secular charities that I can donate to as alternatives.

[IntrinsicallyDisordered]

Of course they did this...the hierarchy is generally a nest of money hungry vipers with zero self-awareness.

My favorite priest was the pastor of our church when the "scandal" was breaking in the US, and he was supposed to read a letter from the archdiocese about how the poor church was the victim and don't stop donating (in fact up your donations to fight these unjust legal fees) and that it was all the fault of the homosexuals and most of these "kids" wanted it anyway, etc etc (never wanted to vomit as much as I did at the constant mansplaining that molesting 12, 10, or even 8 year olds was actually Ephebophilia not Pedophilia don't you know, no pedophiles here, just homos and ephebophiles).

Anyway, Father R. got up for his homily and tore up the paper and instead proceeded to tell us about his own experience finding out a fellow priest he was living with had a child porn collection.  Father R went immediately to the police.  Good old Irish Catholic cops said "sorry, not our business, aren't you supposed to go to the bishop?"   Father R went to the bishop.  Bishop went ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Father R went back to the police, they went ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.  Father R went to Father Pedo, burned the porn stash, and told him he'd be keeping an eye on him, and pulled him off of any duties that involved being around children.  Father Pedo complained to the archdiocese and was transferred and Father R was given a warning to know his place.  Father R warned both Pedo's new pastor and the local police, but never heard anything back from either.  Father R told us the church's behavior was unconscionable and not to donate to the 2nd collection because that would go directly to the archdiocese to fight the lawsuits.  I'm amazed he was able to keep his parish but he did, so there was some small justice.

[2manyKidzzz]

@IntrinsicallyDisordered  Wow, I have never heard of any priest like Father R with that much integrity. That is amazing. An organization that covers up abuse of children is on my shit list. They all do. And although Francis is an attractive, like able, open-minded person, he is not running around trying to work on this in a great way. But he did come and shake his fist at the Mexican border just before the diocese in Western PA uncovered another huge abuse scandal. 

It must have been an amazing experience to see Father R stand up for truth like that, at the risk, certainly, of his own income/job.

[Pravda_Iskra]

Doesn't surprise me. Timothy Dolan said mass at my high school a couple times and I didn't like him then. He seemed like a power hungry kind of guy. 

[Ungodly Grandma]

Timothy Dolan is like a cartoon politician, very little about him is Christ like.

[tabitha2]

1 hour ago, 2manyKidzzz said:

@IntrinsicallyDisordered And although Francis is an attractive, like able, open-minded person, he is not running around trying to work on this in a great way. But he did come and shake his fist at the Mexican border just before the diocese in Western PA uncovered another huge abuse scandal. 

 

 

Because he is a Pope. No Pope or Any high level Curia member for well over a thousand years has been Anything but a politician, canny and worldly.Some are more successful than others But You don't get to the top of the Catholic hierarchy if you are not.  The Cardinals would not have elected Francis if they did not know he would look out for their interests formost.

[libriatrix]

1 hour ago, IntrinsicallyDisordered said:

nyway, Father R. got up for his homily and tore up the paper and instead proceeded to tell us about his own experience finding out a fellow priest he was living with had a child porn collection.  Father R went immediately to the police.  Good old Irish Catholic cops said "sorry, not our business, aren't you supposed to go to the bishop?"   Father R went to the bishop.  Bishop went ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Father R went back to the police, they went ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.  Father R went to Father Pedo, burned the porn stash, and told him he'd be keeping an eye on him, and pulled him off of any duties that involved being around children.  Father Pedo complained to the archdiocese and was transferred and Father R was given a warning to know his place.  Father R warned both Pedo's new pastor and the local police, but never heard anything back from either.  Father R told us the church's behavior was unconscionable and not to donate to the 2nd collection because that would go directly to the archdiocese to fight the lawsuits.  I'm amazed he was able to keep his parish but he did, so there was some small justice.

FANTASTIC. Kudos to Father R. for doing the right thing no matter what.

[2manyKidzzz]

1 hour ago, tabitha2 said:

 

Because he is a Pope. No Pope or Any high level Curia member for well over a thousand years has been Anything but a politician, canny and worldly.Some are more successful than others But You don't get to the top of the Catholic hierarchy if you are not.  The Cardinals would not have elected Francis if they did not know he would look out for their interests formost.

Very true. He is though a very attractive figure and recently opened some liberal dialogue without actually changing the law, if I remember right. The abuse of children is what really upsets me. 

[IntrinsicallyDisordered]

@2manyKidzzz @libriatrix Father R was absolutely amazing (still is, I think, though he may have already retired).  I've come into contact with a lot of mediocre priests, a handful of horrible ones, some that I would describe as good priests, but Father R was the only one I would describe as a good man.  He had been a professor of history early in his priesthood and had a very matter of fact and pragmatic way of looking at things and the world that was very comforting.  He seemed to realize that we were not living in a fantasy lala land where you could just of course do what the church required, no struggle or questions asked.  He never spoke down to you even though he was highly educated and you could feel his intelligence when he spoke.

One of my favorite things he ever said, that really stuck with me, was that we should strive to choose between the good and the better - and that if good was "all" that we were capable of at any time, that was okay.  It was still good.  Every other priest I ever encountered was all about striving to be the best, and pleasing God every second of every day, no matter how unattainable or stressful.  

I like Francis a great deal - he made me think about maybe going back to church some day, that maybe God does love me, I wept when I read his first writings after he became Pope (I'm forgetting what it was, I don't think it was an Encyclical, maybe he wrote it before he was elected, it was where he talked about how he came to the priesthood and how we need to be kind and understanding of the people the church has wounded).  But I agree that he is a politician, and there's a lot of PR going on.  Still, I love his views on the economy and environment.  He needs to be much more forceful in condemning and correcting the abuses committed and covered up by the church, but he's lightyears ahead of JPII in that regard....so tiny little itty bitty baby steps?  

[2manyKidzzz]

@IntrinsicallyDisordered I agree with you about Francis. I was impressed that he went into the very poor areas in Buenos Aires and worked with the truly poor. And that he lived in a modest apartment, as he continues to do. And of course he isn't perfect, naturally. He is the best we've seen in ages in the Vatican. But a real shout out about the abuse is missing and since it involves harming children, I am disappointed. He comes to the US and chides Congress and carries on about the border, while new abuse scandals are being uncovered. It is the children that is what bothers me. 

[kpmom]

3 hours ago, tabitha2 said:

 

Because he is a Pope. No Pope or Any high level Curia member for well over a thousand years has been Anything but a politician, canny and worldly.Some are more successful than others But You don't get to the top of the Catholic hierarchy if you are not.  The Cardinals would not have elected Francis if they did not know he would look out for their interests formost.

I wish I could give this more than 1 up vote.

It drives me crazy when I hear people say they really like this pope, he's a breath of fresh air, yada, yada.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, as far as I'm concerned.

[Ungodly Grandma]

3 hours ago, IntrinsicallyDisordered said:

 He needs to be much more forceful in condemning and correcting the abuses committed and covered up by the church, but he's lightyears ahead of JPII in that regard....so tiny little itty bitty baby steps?  

He is a kinder, gentler person in words, but no changes. People assume things have changed, but abuse is till being covered up, the Church is still anti women and anti gay, not even tiny baby steps. 

[refugee]

5 hours ago, IntrinsicallyDisordered said:

One of my favorite things he ever said, that really stuck with me, was that we should strive to choose between the good and the better - and that if good was "all" that we were capable of at any time, that was okay.

Wow. I just needed to quote this to let it sink in. I want this embroidered on a pillow, or something. (I don't do that kind of thing, actually. But if I did, this would be one.)

[Cleopatra7]

I've often wondered why Bill "Catholic League" Donohue has become the de facto spokesman for the Catholic Church, even though he's divorced and has "only" two children (i.e., married contraceptive use). To quote Sophia Petrillo, Donohue should be a non-person in the eyes of the Church, and this certainly would have been the case in the pre-Vatican II Church. I'm convinced that his defense of the Church from abuse survivors erases all of his otherwise questionable behaviors in the eyes of the the hierarchy. Donohue has said some pretty horrible stuff about people who have been abused by priests, namely that the abusing priests were gay, and their victims were older adolescent males engaged in consensual relationships, which is just another way of saying that the victims "wanted it." If victim-blaming and homophobia is what it takes to be an "orthodox Catholic," I can do without that.

[IntrinsicallyDisordered]

14 hours ago, 2manyKidzzz said:

@IntrinsicallyDisordered I agree with you about Francis. I was impressed that he went into the very poor areas in Buenos Aires and worked with the truly poor. And that he lived in a modest apartment, as he continues to do. And of course he isn't perfect, naturally. He is the best we've seen in ages in the Vatican. But a real shout out about the abuse is missing and since it involves harming children, I am disappointed. He comes to the US and chides Congress and carries on about the border, while new abuse scandals are being uncovered. It is the children that is what bothers me. 

Absolutely!

Francis has very loudly - for a pope - called out clergy that are living in lavish mansions, and even demoted/punished them.  But I hear silence when you have some assclown talking about how the children seduce the priests (I think the last one was a bishop in Poland).  And Francis formed a committee to look into the sexual abuse and coverup and address the victims, and personally appointed a civilian survivor, and I felt like it was a very positive, if belated step.  Then the civilian leaves the committee citing the clergy's unwillingness to even listen to him or change anything, and it's crickets from Francis.  I know he's busy, but COME ON.  This should be your number one priority.  Put half the effort into it that you do reforming the Vatican banks, and people will be overwhelmed.  

I am heartened that so many have left the church, especially in Ireland.  In this day and age with the internet and mass communication, they can no longer pretend the abuses aren't systemic, and very, very real.  Too bad we're no longer allowed to officially leave and will always be counted in the numbers. 

@Cleopatra7 I agree, I have no idea how Bill Donohue has the power and sway he does.  He's an awful, awful man.

[laPapessaGiovanna]

11 hours ago, Cleopatra7 said:

I've often wondered why Bill "Catholic League" Donohue has become the de facto spokesman for the Catholic Church, even though he's divorced and has "only" two children (i.e., married contraceptive use).

Actually the RCC has nothing against these things as long as he didn't seek the divorce, tried to reconcile with his ex wife and they practiced NFP (wanting to keep your family size reasonable is in no way against RCC you just have to "keep your heart open to God's will", meaning only NFP is allowed and actually encouraged. They love to preach abstinence). He can't remarry though. Nothing of the above would be required if he claimed that he repented and/or converted and condemned his own past.

This said I don't know who the guy is but judging from what you're saying he is an actual piece of shit.

[Cleopatra7]

2 hours ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

Actually the RCC has nothing against these things as long as he didn't seek the divorce, tried to reconcile with his ex wife and they practiced NFP (wanting to keep your family size reasonable is in no way against RCC you just have to "keep your heart open to God's will", meaning only NFP is allowed and actually encouraged. They love to preach abstinence). He can't remarry though. Nothing of the above would be required if he claimed that he repented and/or converted and condemned his own past.

This said I don't know who the guy is but judging from what you're saying he is an actual piece of shit.

I was being a bit tongue in cheek about the non-person thing, but it is true that heterosexual male Catholics get somewhat of a pass on disobeying Catholic teachings in a way that women and LGBTs don't. Donohue can get the benefit of the doubt that maybe he was practices NFP or whatever and maybe repented, but LGBT are just "intrinsically disordered." I'm not surprised that you haven't heard of Bill Donohue, since he's an American media figure; every time a cable show needs a "conservative Catholic" voice, he's there, telling us how the Catholic Church is oh so oppressed by evil feminists, gays, and the secular media. I don't think his brand of attack dog religion would translate well into other cultural contexts.

[smittykins]

Maybe he got an annulment?(No idea if he did or not, just throwing it out there.)

[Florita]

Catholic League's response: Shoot the Messenger.

Quote

 

Bill Donohue comments on two articles posted yesterday by the New York Daily News on pending bills that lift the statute of limitations on offenses involving the sexual abuse of minors:

The big news, as determined by the Daily News, is that the New York State Catholic Conference hires lobbyists to push for desired legislative outcomes. Of course, it has been doing so all along. Moreover, it hardly has a monopoly on lobbying: virtually every secular and sectarian organization in New York State that is in any way impacted by Albany lawmakers hires lobbyists. However, it is rarely headline news when they do so. There is a veiled message here: Just how kosher is it for the Catholic Church to lobby Albany?

One of the articles, “Child-Abuse Law Reform Died in 2009 Senate Power Struggle,” is startling for its grand omission: it never mentions that in 2009 the teachers’ unions spent a small fortune trying to kill a bill that included public entities; it would have made it easier for kids raped by public school employees to sue, no matter how long ago it occurred. Usually, these bills on the sexual abuse of minors never blanket the public schools, so it was interesting to see the public school establishment jack up its efforts once it was included in the legislation.

How much do the New York public schools spend on lobbying? A whole lot more than the Catholic Church. Between 2007 and 2016, the New York Catholic Conference spent $2.1 million. In the first six months of 2014, the public schools spent more than $10 million!

One of the principal organizations opposing the Catholic Church’s efforts to stop unjust legislation—it is unjust because it gives public schools a pass and its purpose is to stick it to Catholics—is the Stop Abuse Campaign. I tried to find out who is contributing to its coffers, but when I got to the webpage, “Financial Information,” up popped, “Coming Soon.” How cute. That, too, should be of interest to theDaily News, but it isn’t.

 

http://www.catholicleague.org/daily-news-spins-nys-abuse-bill/

 

[IntrinsicallyDisordered]

12 minutes ago, Florita said:

Catholic League's response: Shoot the Messenger.

http://www.catholicleague.org/daily-news-spins-nys-abuse-bill/

 

With a side of the always popular "everyone else is doing it too!"

I'm a cradle Catholic, and this was one of the things that made it possible for me to finally break free - all my life I'd been hearing that the RCC was the only church with the "full truth" and that they were better and more holy than any other organization...I took that to mean that they should be held to higher standards.  It doesn't seem like that big of a leap, right?  Last time I checked Boy Scouts and Schoolteachers weren't claiming to be in sole possession of the fullness of truth and an unerring moral superiority.  Probably not a lot of Little Leagues telling the kids their molester coaches are speaking for God, I'm guessing.  Yet suddenly they can't help themselves from being just as depraved as everyone they claim to be above.  "Everyone in the 60's thought predators could be rehabilitated without actual rehabilitation" they say.  "No one knew raping a kid was so horrible back then" they say.  Well, which is it?  You're the one, true church and everyone else can only get to heaven through you and your morality stands outside of time, or you're just as breathtakingly wrong as everyone else?  

I'm supposed to believe you're morally correct about LGBT people when you didn't know it was wrong to hide child rapists and do fuckall for the victims until like 10 years ago?  

[refugee]

7 hours ago, IntrinsicallyDisordered said:

I am heartened that so many have left the church, especially in Ireland.  In this day and age with the internet and mass communication, they can no longer pretend the abuses aren't systemic, and very, very real.  Too bad we're no longer allowed to officially leave and will always be counted in the numbers. 

Really? I knew that YRR churches with membership covenants were very difficult to leave (as in, expressing the fact that you are leaving or thinking about leaving is cause for being put under church discipline, which has meant IRL that they hound you and may go so far as to contact other churches you might be interested in joining to try and get them to blacklist you. I know, it's crazy, why would anyone go to a church like that? But, as the bible says somewhere, sometimes satan comes disguised as a being of light).

But you can't leave the RCC officially? Your name stays on the rolls forever? No matter what?

Is it to give the appearance that the Church (not just the RCC but organized christianity) is not becoming an emptying shell?