NYT: Pope Benedict played direct role in protecting priest who molested over 200 deaf boys

The New York Times has a blockbuster article on the case of a Wisconsin priest who admitted molesting over 200 deaf boys. The guy was a monster. But, he had protectors in high places at the Vatican. And, one of his protectors is now the Pope:

Top Vatican officials — including the future Pope Benedict XVI — did not defrock a priest who molested as many as 200 deaf boys, even though several American bishops repeatedly warned them that failure to act on the matter could embarrass the church, according to church files newly unearthed as part of a lawsuit.

The Wisconsin case involved an American priest, the Rev. Lawrence C. Murphy, who worked at a renowned school for deaf children from 1950 to 1974. But it is only one of thousands of cases forwarded over decades by bishops to the Vatican office called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, led from 1981 to 2005 by Cardinal Ratzinger. It is still the office that decides whether accused priests should be given full canonical trials and defrocked.

In 1996, Cardinal Ratzinger failed to respond to two letters about the case from Rembert G. Weakland, Milwaukee’s archbishop at the time. After eight months, the second in command at the doctrinal office, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, now the Vatican’s secretary of state, instructed the Wisconsin bishops to begin a secret canonical trial that could lead to Father Murphy’s dismissal.

But Cardinal Bertone halted the process after Father Murphy personally wrote to Cardinal Ratzinger protesting that he should not be put on trial because he had already repented and was in poor health and that the case was beyond the church’s own statute of limitations.

The Catholic hiearchy has enabled and protected child rapists for decades. Over the past few months, we've seen the scandal get closer and closer to the Pope, mostly because of what's happening in his native Germany. But, this article shows that Benedict/Ratzinger was directly involved in the cover up here in the U.S.

This case is so disturbing and shocking. It's hard to grasp how Benedict has any credibility or moral authority. And, the same holds for the U.S. Conference of Bishops. They put their institutional interests ahead of human decency -- and the law.

NOTE FROM JOHN: Kind of goes to show you why we still need newspapers, and especially the New York Times. Their reporter, Laurie Goodstein, deserves a medal for this story. Read the rest of this post...

Anglo-Saxon treasure to remain in region where discovered

It's not that I don't love seeing the big museums with their impressive collections, but this is really a nice ending to a great story. The amateur metal detector was scanning farm land and found the historic treasure in the British Midlands and fortunately, it will stay thanks to donors as well as help from the British Museum. It's great to see such a treasure in smaller museums in smaller cities. This is a great opportunity for the host cities to generate more visitors.

A grant of £1,285,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) will keep the glittering treasures of the Staffordshire hoard, the most spectacular heap of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found, in the region where an amateur metal detector found it last summer after it spent 1,300 years buried in a nondescript field.

The grant goes to Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent museums, which will share the treasure, having raised the £3.3m necessary to pay Terry Herbert, who found the gold, and farmer Fred Johnson, the owner of the field where it was discovered.

Unusually for the fund, when the trustees met today there was no argument about the extraordinary quality of the hoard, or the merits of making the grant. Dame Jenny Abramsky, chair of the NHMF, said: "The Staffordshire hoard is an extraordinary heritage treasure. It is exactly the sort of thing the National Heritage Memorial Fund was set up to save, stepping in as the 'fund of last resort' when our national heritage is at risk, as a fitting memorial to those who have given their lives in the service of our nation. We're delighted, in our 30th anniversary year, to be able to make sure it stays just where it belongs, providing rare insights into one of the more mysterious periods of our history."

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DNC spending $1 million on ads for ten House HCR supporters (after spending $500,000 on Ben Nelson in Dec.)

The DNC is on the air for supporters of health care reform:

The Democratic National Committee will spend more than $1 million on a combination of television and radio ads in nearly three dozen House districts aimed at seizing the momentum gained from the passage of President Obama's health care plan on Sunday night.

Twenty-five Democrats who supported the bill -- including Reps. John Boccieri (Ohio), Dennis Cardoza (Calif.), Brad Ellsworth (Ind.), Paul Hodes (N.H.), Tim Walz (Minn.), Bob Etheridge (N.C.), Tom Perriello (Va.), Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Betsy Markey (Colo.) and Gerry Connolly (Va.) -- will get 30- second "thank you" television ads.

Ten Republicans will be targeted with 60 second radio ads "slamming them for [their] votes against and pinching them on repeal," said a party source briefed on the buy. Among the GOP targets will be: Reps. Mark Kirk (Ill.), Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Dave Reichert (Wash.) and Joseph Cao (La.).

The DNC ads come on top of a similar seven-figure television ad buy by Health Care for America Now (HCAN) and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees in 14 Democratic-held districts.

This is all good. But, after the Senate vote in December, as first revealed on AMERICAblog, the DNC gave the Nebraska Democratic Party over $500,000 to run ads on behalf of Senator Ben Nelson. So, he got half of what the DNC is spending on ten House Democrats. Now, Nelson is opposed to reconciliation now. He should give that money back.

This also begs the question of how much the DNC, DCCC or DSCC (in the case of Rep. Melancon) are going to spend on behalf of the 34 House members who voted no on reform. Read the rest of this post...

Chinese police: only tall, attractive women should apply

They're not even trying to hide the obvious sexism. Critics say this is all about show for the outside world. In the long run, discouraging qualified workers is never good news. How does anyone possibly think such treatment is the sign of an advanced society? More from Radio Free Asia:

Authorities in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing have recently advertised for new female recruits to their traffic department, but only women of "above average appearance" and about 165 cm in height need apply.

The advertisement, which rippled through Chinese cyberspace in recent days, drew widespread scorn from rights activists, as it came just days after dismal statistics showed the best qualified Chinese women struggle to find work.

"If anything, I think things have got worse," said Liao Tianqi, Germany-based chairwoman of the writers' group Independent Chinese PEN. "Women are treated like commodities."

Liao said the advertisement showed that Chinese women still have a long way to go before they are truly given equal treatment with men.

"If you look at the [recent] parliamentary sessions, you can see that the hostesses who fetch and carry things and who pour tea for everyone at the National People's Congress (NPC) are all very young and pretty," she said.

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Cong. Perriello statement about 'incident' at brother's home after Teabagger's published the address

Statement of Rep. Tom Perriello on Incident at Brother’s Home

Washington, DC—Today, Rep. Tom Perriello released the following statement in response to an ongoing FBI investigation into a severed gas line at the home of the congressman’s brother.

“My number one priority right now is ensuring the safety of my brother’s family, and I am grateful to law enforcement for their excellent work. While it is too early to say anything definitive regarding political motivations behind this act, it’s never too early for political leaders to condemn threats of violence, particularly as threats to other Members of Congress and their children escalate. And so I ask every member of House and Senate leadership to state unequivocally tonight that it is never OK to harm or threaten elected officials and their families with anything more than political retribution. Here in America, we settle our political differences at the ballot box.”

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HCR opponents vowed to send snipers to kill the children of congressmembers who voted yes

This is your country on Republicans. Any questions? Read the rest of this post...

Voice mail messages pro-lifers left for Stupak - amazingly vile

Wow. Wow. Wow. CBS got the audio to some of the voice mails. Wow.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

More from CBS:

"Congressman Stupak, you baby-killing mother f***er... I hope you bleed out your a**, got cancer and die, you mother f***er," one man says in a message to Stupak.

"There are millions of people across the country who wish you ill," a woman says in a voicemail, "and all of those thoughts that are projected on you will materialize into something that's not very good for you."

CBS News also obtained copies of faxes sent to Stupak, which include racial epithets used in reference to President Obama and show pictures of nooses with Stupak's name.

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Teabagger terrorism? Hoyer worried about security for House Dems, 10 members getting security after threats

Earlier today we found out that the brother of a Democratic member of Congress found his propane line to his home cut after Teabaggers published his home address, thinking it was the home of the pro- health care reform congressman himself. The FBI is investigating.

Now we find out that 10 members of Congress have asked for increased security following threats. This comes on the heels of Teabaggers spitting on Democratic members of Congress this weekend, and calling a famous African-American civil rights leader (and also member of Congress) "nigger," and calling openly-gay Congressman Barney Frank "faggot."

Here are Chuck Todd's tweets on the latest:

RT @chucktodd: House Maj. Leader Hoyer says he's worried about the security of fellow House Dems; Calls on House GOP leaders to join in decrying threats

RT @chucktodd: Hoyer says any member of Congress who is concerned about threats is receiving access to security; So far, over 10 members.

Jed finds a Sarah Palin link to the climate of violence. Read the rest of this post...

Airport worker warned after photographing body-scan

Only warned? Wasn't this not even supposed to be possible? Nice job protecting personal privacy and a simple warning is a joke.

The police have issued a warning for harassment against an airport worker after he allegedly took a photo of a female colleague as she went through a full-body scanner at Heathrow airport.

The incident, which occurred at terminal 5 on 10 March, is believed to be the first time an airport worker has been formally disciplined for misusing the scanners.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police received an allegation regarding an incident that happened at Heathrow Terminal 5 on March 10. A first-instance harassment warning has been issued to a 25-year-old male."

The BAA employee took a photo of his co-worker, Jo Margetson, when she inadvertently went through a scanner.

"I can't bear to think about the body scanner thing," she told the Sun. "I'm totally traumatised. I've spoken to the police about it. I'm in too much of a state to go to work."

NOTE FROM JOHN: How much you want to bet he used his cell phone to snap the photo? I warned this would happen when all the govt officials warned that it would impossible to make a recording of the images. Uh, cell phones, people. Chris is right, the guy should be fired. Otherwise, they just sent the message that everyone is permitted to photograph one naked passenger with impunity. Read the rest of this post...

Republicans shutting down Senate committee hearings, including Defense, because they're angry about health care reform

I get that the GOP is playing to their base, but their base is crazy. I can't imagine that independents will see this as anything more than childish, and bullyish.

Washington, DC—Spokesman for Nevada Senator Harry Reid, Jim Manley, released the following statement today after Republicans forced shut down of several Senate committees for the second consecutive day:

“For a second straight day, Republicans are using tricks to shut down several key Senate committees. So let me get this straight: in retaliation for our efforts to have an up-or-down vote to improve health care reform, Republicans are blocking an Armed Services committee hearing to discuss critical national security issues among other committee meetings? These political games and obstruction have to stop – the American people expect and deserve better.”

Check out this exchange between Democratic Senator Carl Levin and GOP Senator Burr:

{12:51:15 NSP} (MR. LEVIN) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. LEVIN: MADAM PRESIDENT, I MAKE THIS REQUEST AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. I WOULD NOTE THAT THIS MAN CONSENT REQUEST IS SUPPORTED BY MY RANKING MEMBER, SENATOR MCCAIN. WE'VE HAD -- WE HAVE THREE COMMANDERS SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY THIS AFTERNOON. THEY'VE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR A LONG TIME. THEY'VE COME A LONG, LONG DISTANCE. ONE OF THEM HAS COME FROM KOREA. ONE OF THEM HAS COME FROM HA HAWAII. AND I WOULD, THEREFORE, ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED

{12:51:45} (MR. LEVIN) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

AND CURRENTLY SCHEDULED HEARING OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES BE ALLOWED TO PROCEED AND THAT WE BE AUTHORIZED TO MEET DURING THE SESSION OF THE SENATE ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, AT 2:30 IN OPEN AND CLOSED SESSION TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY FROM ADMIRAL ROBERT WILLARD, UNITED STATES NAVY COMMANDER OF THE U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND; FROM GENERAL KEVIN CHILTON, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, COMMANDER OF THE U.S. STRATEGIC COMMAND, AND; FROM GENERAL WALTER SHARPE, UNITED STATES ARMY COMMANDER, U.S.

{12:52:20} (MR. LEVIN) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

FORCES KOREA IN REVIEW OF THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011 AND THE FUTURE YEARS' DEFENSE PROGRAM. AGAIN, SENATOR McCAIN SUPPORTS THIS REQUEST. AND I UNDERSTAND IT IS NOT LIKELY THERE WILL BE ANY VOTES

{12:52:36 NSP} (MR. BURR) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

HERE ON THE FLOOR UNTIL 5:30 THIS AFTERNOON.THIS AFTERNOON. MR. BURR: MADAM PRESIDENT?


{12:52:36 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
THE SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA.

{12:52:42 NSP} (MR. BURR) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. BURR: AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, AND I SIDE MYSELF WITH THE CHAIR AND THE RANKING MEMBER, THAT I HAVE NO PERSONAL OBJECTION TO CONTINUING. THERE IS OBJECTION ON OUR SIDE OF THE AISLE. THEREFORE, I WOULD HAVE TO OBJECT.

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Teabagger terrorist attempt against Dem congressman?

If the investigation concludes that it was intentional, and intentionally directed at a person they thought was the congressman himself, that would make this an act of terrorism. Teabagger terrorism. Republican inspired terrorism. Stay tuned.

Law enforcement authorities are investigating the discovery of a cut propane gas line at the Virginia home of Rep. Tom Perriello’s (D-Va.) brother, whose address was targeted by tea party activists angry at the congressman’s vote for the health care bill.

POLITICO reported on Monday that Mike Troxel, an organizer for the Lynchburg Tea Party, posted on his blog what he thought was the congressman’s address, encouraging tea party activists to “drop by.”

The address has since been posted on websites of at least one other local tea party activist.

The first time a member of Congress or their family is physically harmed by a Teabagger, the GOP can kiss their aspirations for public office goodbye for the next century. Read the rest of this post...

What health care reform means for you

It's all admittedly still a bit confusing for me, as to how reform is going to directly affect me, but the White House has a Q&A; page up which answers some of the questions. Read the rest of this post...

VIDEO: Hell no you can't! (John Boehner's version of the 'Yes We Can' song)

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Maine's Catholic Bishop ends funding for homeless org. over same-sex marriage

Just when you think the Catholic Bishops can't sink any lower, they do.

Richard Malone, the Bishop of Maine, just stopped funding the homeless program at Preble Street, one of Maine's largest social service organizations, because the group opposed the repeal of the state's new marriage law last fall.

The details are at AMERICAblog Gay. Here's a link to the website for Preble Street. The organization really does the Lord's work.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict, is ensnared in a child rape scandal in his old diocese. The U.S. Bishops have already paid out $2.7 billion in damages to victims in this country. But, those Bishops aren't going to let any pro-gay policy go unchallenged.

Why does anyone on Capitol Hill listen to the Catholic Bishops? Read the rest of this post...

Teabaggers are already over their one-time hero, Scott Brown

Today's Boston Herald proclaims "Republicans feeling blue as Scott Brown win backfires." Republicans may be feeling blue, but the teabaggers are seeing red. They're seething. And, they've turned their anger (and, if there's one thing we know about teabaggers, they're angry) on Scott Brown

Brown’s backers from the insurgent Tea Party movement want to know if they’ve been had.

“We start to wonder whether we helped a RINO (Republican in name only) get into office,” said Tea Party activist Jeffrey McQueen, who traveled from Michigan to campaign for Brown in the final days of the Jan. 19 special election that rocked the nation.

“If it wasn’t for the Tea Party movement, Scott Brown wouldn’t have gotten that seat. We expect to see a true conservative in there.”

In fact, Democrats now say Brown’s election as the so-called “41st vote” to block Obama’s health-care overhaul inspired them to seek procedural means to bypass GOP efforts to derail the bill.

That was one of the quickest falls from grace in politics. Read the rest of this post...

Bailed out banks give runaround to homeowners

Wow, shocking. You mean the banks that were rescued from almost certain failure who then thought it made perfect sense to shower themselves with ridiculous bonuses on the taxpayer dollar aren't really interested in helping solve the problem they created? My whole world is crumbling. Read the rest of this post...

Wednesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

The Senate is continuing its debate on the reconciliation bill today. Yesterday, Senate GOPers started introducing amendments on just about everything. They let David Vitter take the lead. Still surprising that Republicans want to make a hooker patron the face of their party, but they do. Robert Bennett from Utah even dredged one up on same-sex marriage. Big surprise that the Senator from Mormon would focus on the gays, huh? That surely makes the President/Prophet happy.

Obama is holding a meeting with Senator Dodd and Barney Frank to talk about financial reform. I hope they're all past the idea that there's going to be any kind of bi-partisanship on this issue. The Republicans aren't even trying to hide it. Last week, the ranking Republican on the Banking Committee, Richard Shelby, told a group of bankers that the best way to kill reform is to elect Roy Blunt as the next Senator from Missouri. Shelby told all the bankers to max out to Blunt's campaign. That's where the GOPers are, taking money from bankers to stop reform.

Also, Vice President Joe "Big F-ing Deal" Biden is having lunch with Senator Scott "Centerfold" Brown.

Let's get started... Read the rest of this post...

China, Japan and Cuba ignore science, vote against shark protection

When you are facing population declines of 90% or more, it's so far beyond "regional" managements. Besides, what idiot thinks that sharks, fish or whales stay in the regions laid out in such meetings? At least one out of the seven managed to win support but this is yet another marine disaster.

Scalloped hammerhead sharks, which are often caught in lines set for tuna and swordfish, have declined by as much as 98 percent in some areas. Oceanic whitetip sharks have declined by as much as 90 percent in the central Pacific Ocean and 99 percent in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tom Strickland, the Interior Department's assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, said the United States may bring up some of the shark proposals on Thursday, the conference's final day, when any conference decision can be reconsidered.

Strickland noted that the proposal to regulate the trade of hammerhead sharks failed by just five votes, providing an opening for another attempt to pass it.

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Suddenly, Google founder wants US to talk more about human rights

OK we get it. You guys were losing badly and lost in China before taking your ball and going next door. You're not used to losing so this was a real blow for your inflated egos but if you must push it to this extreme, then let's talk more about your lack of respect for human rights when you first went into China. Is Sergey Brin who was born in Moscow and whose family grew up in the Soviet Union honestly telling the world that he had no idea about a regime like China? Nobody believes a clever person like that was so foolish. Again, welcome to the party but where have you been all of this time?

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has called on Washington to take a stand against China's censorship of the internet, urging the US to make the issue a "high priority".

Brin, talking to the Guardian about Google's decision yesterday to lift censorship from its Chinese internet search engine, called on government and businesses to act in order to put pressure on Beijing. "I certainly hope they make it a high priority," he said. "Human rights issues deserve equal time to the trade issues that are high priority now … I hope this gets taken seriously."

The Obama administration has been playing down the growing conflict between one of America's most successful companies and the Chinese authorities, suggesting that the relationship between the two countries is "mature enough to sustain differences".

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