By Trend News Line 2024-05-09 18:17:09.
# Washington State Attorney General Seeks Court Order to Force Seattle Archdiocese to Turn Over Files on Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse
In a bold move, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Thursday that he is seeking a court order to compel the Seattle Archdiocese to hand over files on priests accused of sexual abuse. This action is part of a sweeping probe into how the state’s three Catholic dioceses handled claims of child sex abuse.
## Allegations of Cover-Up
Ferguson’s office is investigating allegations that the Catholic Church in Washington State has facilitated and attempted to cover up decades of pervasive sexual abuse of children by Church leaders. The petition for a court order filed by his office states that the Seattle Archdiocese has refused to cooperate with civil subpoenas issued last summer and last month.
## Legal Action
In response to the lack of cooperation, Ferguson took the matter to court by filing a legal petition in King County Superior Court. The petition seeks an order to enforce the subpoena, which would legally compel Seattle Archbishop Paul Etienne to appear for a deposition. Additionally, it would force Washington’s largest Catholic diocese to produce internal records, including secret archives on clergy sexual abuse allegations dating back decades.
## Public Accountability
During a press conference, Ferguson stated, “Washingtonians deserve a public accounting of how the Catholic Church handles allegations of child sex abuse, and whether charitable dollars were used to cover it up.” He expressed disappointment that the Church has refused to cooperate with the investigation.
## Archdiocese’s Response
The Seattle Archdiocese issued a statement on Thursday indicating that they have already turned over some of the requested information. They expressed willingness to share their files with the Attorney General lawfully and fairly.
## Statewide Probe
Ferguson’s office is also prepared to seek court orders against the two other Catholic dioceses in Washington, in Yakima and Spokane, if they fail to comply with their subpoenas later this month. Washington now joins a growing number of states where attorney generals are investigating the Catholic Church’s handling of clergy abuse.
## First Outside Probe
Advocates for survivors of clergy abuse have long called for an investigation into the Seattle Archdiocese. This marks the first outside probe into how the archdiocese handled clergy abuse cases. While the archdiocese publicly identified 79 clergy members as credibly accused sex offenders in 2016, they have resisted calls to release their secret files on clergy abuse.
## Legal Underpinning
Ferguson’s subpoenas, made public for the first time this week, cite Washington’s Charitable Trust Act as the legal basis for the probe. The Act allows the Attorney General to investigate transactions and relationships of trustees and other individuals in certain tax-exempt entities. This marks the first time a civil subpoena has been used in Washington to investigate a religious organization.
## Calls for Transparency
The investigation into the Catholic Church in Washington State comes at a time when survivors and advocacy groups are demanding transparency and accountability. Ferguson’s actions mirror those of New York Attorney General Leticia James, who successfully sued the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo based on state civil laws regulating charities.
## Deadline for Compliance
The Seattle Archdiocese had until May 10 to comply with Ferguson’s latest subpoena, while the Yakima and Spokane dioceses have until May 22. However, the Seattle Archdiocese has indicated that they object to the subpoena and will not be complying. The Attorney General’s office is prepared to take further legal action if necessary..
– Washington Attorney General investigating clergy abuse demands church records
– AG investigation into clergy abuse prompts request for church documents.