Religion
Related: About this forumPennsylvania Catholic church using 'mafia-like' tactics to fight sex abuse bill
Source: The Guardian
Church accused of using mob boss approach to pressure
lawmakers who support bill that would give victims of
sexual abuse more time to sue abusers
Stephanie Kirchgaessner in New York
Friday 17 June 2016 11.00 BST
The Catholic church in Pennsylvania has been accused of employing mafia-like tactics in a campaign to put pressure on individual Catholic lawmakers who support state legislation that would give victims of sexual abuse more time to sue their abusers.
The lobbying campaign against the legislation is being led by Philadelphia archbishop Charles Chaput, a staunch conservative who recently created a stir after inadvertently sending an email to a state representative Jamie Santora, in which he accused the lawmaker of betraying the church and said Santora would suffer consequences for his support of the legislation. The email was also sent to a senior staff member in Chaputs office, who was apparently the only intended recipient.
The email has infuriated some Catholic lawmakers, who say they voted their conscience in support of the legislation on behalf of sexual abuse victims. One Republican legislator, Mike Vareb, accused the archbishop of using mafia-style tactics.
This mob boss approach of having legislators called out, he really went right up to the line, Vareb told the Guardian. He is going down a road that is frankly dangerous for the status of the church in terms of it being a non-profit.
Under US tax laws, organisations like churches that are classified as non-profit groups are not supposed to be engaged in political activity, though they are allowed to publish legislators voting records in some cases.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/17/pennsylvania-catholic-church-sexual-abuse-bill-mafia-tactics
rug
(82,333 posts)truebrit71
(20,805 posts)It's a criminal enterprise being run like a criminal enterprise...
trotsky
(49,533 posts)No surprise.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)Whether money-laundering or covering up for child-rape...
rug
(82,333 posts)AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)Religion's current disregard for the law is a real problem.
Way past time to tax them and prosecute offenders and to let people know the secular law of the land comes before conviction to ancient superstitions.
rug
(82,333 posts)It's a political wrong, not an illegal act.
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)That ploy isn't gonna work with people paying attention.
Besides, their tax exemption is routinely abused....and is unconstitutional anyway. Get rid of it.
Besides by their "disregard for the law" I mean all of it. Like "religious exemptions' from doing the jobs you were hired to do. Even when government jobs. Nope. Time for the church to be like any other business.
rug
(82,333 posts)Frankly, your argument is much better during an election than in lobbying legislation.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)....ALL churches, not just the ones that cover-up multiple ongoing felonies...
rug
(82,333 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)Brettongarcia
(2,262 posts)Trained in the literal martial arts.
Part Canadian Indian?
Has a chip on his shoulder.
Not the turn-the-other-cheek type.
Writes for religious right journal, First Things.
Boston applied anti racketeering Rico laws to cardinal Law, before he skipped the country, for the Vatican.