Capitol Recap
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Capitol Recap AROUND THE ROTUNDA Volume 5 Number 387 PLS coverage of Capitol events including press conferences, bill signings, & media availabilities August 14, 2018 CONTENTS ATTORNEY GENERAL DISCUSSES GRAND JURY REPORT ON CATHOLIC DIOCESE AROUND THE ROTUNDA 1 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE NEW LEGISLATION 4 By Andre Dienner, Pennsylvania Legislative Services | August 14, 2018 LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 4 UPCOMING MEETINGS 6 Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro held a press conference Tuesday in the Media Center to discuss the findings of a two-year grand jury investigation into child sexual abuse in Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses. The report identified 301 Catholic priests who sexually abused more than 1,000 children SESSION STATUS while serving in active ministry in the church across six Pennsylvania dioceses including At 12:17 p.m. on 41 in Erie, 37 in Allentown, 20 in Greensburg, 45 in Harrisburg, 99 in Pittsburgh, and 59 Wednesday, June 27, 2018 in Scranton. The investigation also revealed “a systematic cover up spanning decades by the Senate met briefly in senior church leaders in Pennsylvania and the Vatican.” non-voting session and now stands in recess until Joined onstage by survivors and their families, Shapiro outlined the toll the abuse continues the call of the President Pro to take and the fight his office has undergone to make the findings public. He outlined an Tempore. The Senate is “intense legal battle” with petitioners seeking to have their names excluded and at some not expected to reconvene times with the dioceses “to cover up the cover up,” stating those petitioners “still don’t have until September 24. the courage to tell the public who they are.” At 3:37 p.m. on Monday, Related to redactions, Shapiro emphasized his office is not satisfied with a redacted report June 25, 2018 the House and will fight to complete the “incomplete story” at oral arguments before the Pennsylvania stands in recess until Supreme Court on September 26. the call of the Chair. The House is not expected to Turning to the substance of the report, Shapiro noted incidents were largely corroborated reconvene until September by secret archives held in the churches. He emphasized there are too many incidents to 12. discuss in person and directed those interested to the report, but highlighted several specific UPCOMING SESSION DAYS instances including Father Chester House Gawronski in Erie who fondled boys and told them he was administering a cancer check and September 12, 13, 24, 25, confessed to multiple instances of abuse, but remained in active ministry; Father Michael 26 Lawrence in Allentown who admitted to rubbing 12-year-old boy’s genitals so roughly the October 1 (NV), 2 (NV), 9, boy felt pain but was left in ministry by three different bishops; and a group of at least four 10, 15, 16, 17 predator priests in Pittsburgh who groomed and abused young boys using whips, violence, November 13 and sadism in sexually assaulting their victims. Senate Next Shapiro relayed that due to cover ups, in some cases traveling up to the Vatican, many September 24, 25, 26 instances are too old to be prosecuted. However, he highlighted that Father John Sweeney October 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17 was charged with sexual abuse and Father David Poulson was charged with sexual assault. November 14 “These children, surrounded by adults enabling their abuse, were taught that this abuse was not only normal but that it was holy,” Shapiro added. He also faulted law enforcement where the grand jury found several instances of halted investigations due to fear of negative publicity. Provided by Pennsylvania Legislative Services “Child sexual abuse is traumatizing,” Shapiro continued. “In these cases there is an additional 240 N. 3rd St. 6th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17101 layer of trauma because the abuse came at the hands of their spiritual leaders. Instead 717.236.6984 phone of healing, victims were shamed, they were ridiculed. When these children told authority 717.236.5097 fax figures of their abuse their accounts were questioned, they were hushed, and shunned.” www.mypls.com “The time of telling these victims to keep their truth to themselves has ended,” he emphasized. Shapiro then outlined and supported four recommended changes to Pennsylvania law made by the grand jury, including: • Eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for sexually abusing children. • Create a “civil window” so older victims may now sue for damages. • Clarify penalties for a continuing failure to report child abuse. • Specify that Civil Confidentiality Agreements do not cover communications with law enforcement. Shapiro lastly challenged each Pennsylvania bishop and archbishop to support the reforms as proof they want things to change and care about combatting sexual abuse in the church. “The time for institutions to place their own interests above protecting our children is over,” he stated. “I will not tolerate it. To that end, our investigation into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church remains ongoing… The abuse and cover up is now publicly disclosed for the people of Pennsylvania to read for themselves.” Questions were taken from the media. How many of these incidents discovered were never previously publicly disclosed? Shapiro pointed to the report showing “many” such instances. There is a high school in Pittsburgh named Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School. In light of his complicity in the cover up, do you recommend taking his name off the school? Shapiro said that is a decision for the church to make. Was there anyone among the clergy who stood up and tried to help? Shapiro repeated he has “issued a clear challenge” and the question depends on their response. Do you anticipate any more charges? He said his office charged those they could charge compliant with the statute of limitations, but the investigation is “active and ongoing.” Of the 301 identified priests, how many are still moving freely in their communities? “I can’t answer that question at this time,” he said. Are any of those 301 in active ministry? Shapiro pointed to the report for that purpose. How many calls have been received at the hotline for this investigation? He said the investigation is active and ongoing. How many names were redacted from the report? “I can’t comment on who those petitioners are.” Are there additional names in the report outside of the 301 that may not have been involved in the cover up? Shapiro said to read the report. There have been assertions of inaccuracies in the report, can you comment on that? Shapiro stood by the work of the grand jury noting that priests and bishops were invited to respond and those responses were affixed. “Consider the source,” he added, noting the incidents were largely corroborated by secret church documents. Will it take more than just the bishops of Pennsylvania to make a change, or will it go up to the pope? Shapiro declined to comment on what the pope may or may not do but repeated there is a clear challenge to all bishops to support the suggested reforms. 2 CONSERVATION ADVOCATE GROUPS RELEASE PA ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD By Jessica Richardson, Pennsylvania Legislative Services | August 14, 2018 Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, PennEnvironment, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter, and Clean Water Action joined together for a teleconference to release the 2017-2018 Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard, which scores each member of the Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives based on their votes on environmental legislation. Josh McNeil, Executive Director, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, stated it was a joint product that allows individuals to know if those voting on their behalf are protecting clean air and clean water. He noted some of the bills that were scored included HB 2468, SB 234, and HR 515. McNeil explained the scores are generated by taking the number of pro- environmental votes over the number of potential pro-environmental votes. He commented one difference this year is that there is a new lifetime score on how legislators have voted. Steve Hvozdovich, Pennsylvania Campaigns Director, Clean Water Action, continued that the report found 62 members in the House of Representatives scored 100 percent on the pieces of legislation that were scored. He commented this number has doubled since the 2015-2016 score as there were previously 29 representatives who scored 100 percent. Hvozdovich explained there were 60 Democrats and two Republicans, with the two Republican members being the first ones to ever score 100 percent at least going back to 2007-2008. He stated eight minority members of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee scored 100 percent. On the opposite side, there were eleven representatives who scored zero percent with four of them being majority members of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Hvozdovich said. He stated in the Senate, 19 senators scored 100 percent with six Republicans and 13 Democrats. Hvozdovich commented seven senators scored zero percent with two of them serving on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Hvozdovich broke the scores into averages stating that the House scored 52 percent with Democrats receiving 94 percent and Republicans receiving 23 percent. He noted in the Senate the overall average was 49 percent with Democrats receiving 94 percent and Republicans receiving 29 percent. McNeil noted a number of those in the House who received scores of 100 percent were freshmen. He commented that tells a story of where the legislature is going in the future. Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks) stated he is excited and proud to have a 100 percent voting record along with his colleague Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks). “Protecting the environment should not be a partisan issue,” Rep. DiGirolamo said. He stated that over the last three legislative cycles he believes his side of the aisle has made substantial progress in getting Republican House members to consider putting up votes that are pro-environment.