Washington Attorney General faces obstacles in nationwide investigation into clergy sex abuse | News

YAKIMA, Wash. – Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has hit a roadblock in his investigation into child sex abuse in the Catholic Church after a judge denied his request to issue a subpoena against the Archdiocese of Seattle.

In an exclusive report, Emily Goodell of Apple Valley News Now spoke with the Catholic Accountability Project and the Diocese of Yakima about the implications of this decision for the future.

The Catholic Church has named more than 100 clergy and other religious leaders in Washington state who it says have sexually abused children. This includes 83 in the Archdiocese of Seattle, 30 in the Diocese of Spokane and 21 in the Diocese of Yakima. All of the names are included in lists that are publicly available online.

Peter Isely, founding member of the Catholic Accountability Project and survivor, believes even more voices remain unheard.

“When you’re a child, especially, the perpetrator does two things in rape and sexual abuse,” Isely said. “First, they steal your body. Then they steal your voice. Justice is about giving that voice back.”

Ferguson is seeking justice through an investigation into whether the Catholic Church used charitable funds to cover up child sexual abuse. His office set up a hotline for survivors at 833-952-6277.

“They immediately took action,” said Sarah Pearson, another founding member of the Catholic Accountability Project. “They provided our organization with over 7,500 pages of whistleblower documents and evidence.”

According to Pearson, the evidence includes affidavits, personnel files, survivor testimony, internal church memos and police reports.

Monsignor Robert Siler, chancellor of the Diocese of Yakima, said they offered to share some, but not all, of the requested information during a meeting with the attorney general’s office staff last year.

“We had legitimate concerns about protecting the privacy of victims,” ​​Siler said. “We had concerns about protecting the privacy of priests who we knew had been wrongfully accused.”

This year, Ferguson asked the dioceses to release information they had not made public. Siler said they objected to the extensive financial records requested.

“We were prepared to provide some documentation, but we also wanted to see the attorney general’s legal authority to issue the subpoena, and it is clear from the King County ruling that he simply does not have the legal authority to do so,” Siler said.

A judge denied Ferguson’s request to enforce the subpoena against the Archdiocese of Seattle. In a statement, Ferguson said, “Our fight for victims of clergy abuse is not over,” and said he would appeal the decision.

Mary Dispenza, northwest director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests and a survivor herself, said she wanted to show other survivors that they are not alone and that she has been in their situation.

“I am overwhelmed with shame and fear and feel isolated and alone,” Dispenza said. “But I want to tell you, and I can attest to this: coming forward is a liberating experience.”

Isely emphasized the importance of her efforts: “It is important to us that this does not happen to any other child. That is why we do what we do.”

The Attorney General’s Office has said it has not taken action against the Spokane and Yakima dioceses but is prepared to do so if necessary.

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