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4 years into faith leader investigation, Wisconsin DOJ has received over 300 reports

From JSOnline:

Laura Schulte

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Click on the lower right of the video to enlarge it

MADISON - Four years after the launch of an investigation to look at the breadth of abuse by faith leaders in Wisconsin, Attorney General Josh Kaul is still collecting reports from the public.

Since its launch, the clergy and faith leader investigation has brought charges against several people, and resulted in hundreds of reports gathered from religious organizations across the state.

"We've taken a consistent approach throughout the initiative, which is to follow the information where it leads," Kaul said in an interview. "And what we are committed to doing is ensuring that any report and any information we put out is based on the facts."

But as the years stretch on, some have started to question why the investigation is taking so long, and when a final report will be released.

Here's what we know about the ongoing investigation.

What exactly is the investigation looking at?

The Department of Justice launched the inquiry to look at claims of sexual abuse by faith leaders of all denominations, with a particular interest in the Catholic Church.

Advocates pushed for Kaul to open the investigation after attorneys general in other states launched inquiries and revealed findings that some denominations of churches knew about sexual abuse by leaders in positions of power, but did not report them.

So far, many of the reports have related to Catholic priests, but there have also been reports from several other denominations.

More: These priests molested kids in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Why aren't they on the Archdiocese's list of abusers?

How many reports has the DOJ received?

As of Sept. 29, the Department of Justice has received 326 reports about abuse.

That number is up from 274 in April 2024.

What's been accomplished so far?

Charges have been filed against several current or former clergy members or counselors. Instances of abuse have also been reported to a religious authority, and the abuser added to the list of credibly accused abusers.

In April of this year, former youth pastor James Lane, 53, pleaded guilty in Wood County to repeated sexual assault of a child. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of extended supervision.

According to a release from the DOJ, the abuse occurred between September 2002 and December 2003, when Lane was driving the child home from Faith Reformed Church in Wisconsin Rapids.

Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal of the Catholic Church, was charged with one count of fourth-degree sexual assault for an incident that occurred in 1977. The former cardinal allegedly engaged in repeated sexual abuse of the victim over time, including once fondling the victim while staying as a guest at a Lake Geneva residence.

In January, the court determined McCarrick was not competent to stand trial. He died earlier this year.

In addition, abuse by John Cullinan, a deceased Catholic priest who served in the La Crosse diocese, was reported for the first time. The DOJ worked with the diocese to add his name to its list of clergy with substantiated allegations of abuse.

In May 2022, an arrest warrant was issued for 61-year-old Jeffrey Anthony Charles, who police say sexually assaulted a minor at a cabin in Douglas County between 2005 and 2010.

Charles served as the pastor for the nondenominational church Neighbors to Nations in Princeton, Minn., at the time of the assaults, but routinely traveled to his Wisconsin cabin with parishioners. He is accused of assaulting the victim four times in five years, while the victim was between the ages of 3 and 7.

In February 2022, Remington Jon Nystrom, 33, was charged with one count of first-degree sexual contact with a child under 13 in connection with an incident that occurred in 2009. Nystrom was a counselor at a Mount Morris camp in Waushara County when, police say, he inappropriately touched a sleeping child. The camp is affiliated with the Moravian Church of America.

Nystrom was convicted of second-degree sexual abuse of a child, and sentenced to seven years of prison, followed by 10 years of extended supervision.

Two cases have also been handed over to Brown County investigators, but no charges have yet been filed there.

More: Madison priest accused of child sex crimes faced a previous complaint in 2021

What's the role of the Catholic dioceses in the investigation?

So far, the Catholic dioceses of Wisconsin have declined to share information with the DOJ. But they did say when the investigation launched that if there was a specific allegation for a current, living member of the clergy, information would be shared with investigators.

In 2023, Kaul sought access to court documents sealed a decade ago as a part of a bankruptcy filing by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The bankruptcy was related to a $21 million settlement to compensate victims of sexual abuse by clergy.

A federal judge in October 2024 denied access to Kaul and his team of investigators, saying the DOJ failed to make a valid case for revisiting the bankruptcy decision and did not provide a sufficient plan for notifying clergy abuse victims of its request for the records.

For years, rumors have swirled about the bankruptcy filings including the names of additional abusive clergy members, but that claim has never been substantiated.

What's the status of the final report?

Kaul said in a Sept. 25 interview he did not know when the final report would be released.

More: She says the Lutheran Church knew her husband was abusive. He kept ministering for 24 years.

When did Kaul launch the inquiry?

Kaul announced the start of his investigation in April 2021, surrounded by advocates and the loved ones of Nate Lindstrom, a man who took his life after being abused as a child by a priest.

What have critics of the investigation said?

Critics of the investigation have put pressure on Kaul to push for documents and information from the Catholic Church, and in particular, the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

Though Kaul has tried to access files from the Archdiocese, he has not been successful.

Critics also are worried about the length of time the inquiry has been ongoing with no report. Other states took considerably less time.

"We're committed to conducting a thorough comprehensive review, and our goal is not to put out a report on some particular date, but rather to put out a report we feel does justice to the work that's been done," Kaul said when asked about the criticism.

More: Judge blocks attorney general review of sealed Milwaukee Archdiocese bankruptcy documents

What happens when someone makes a report?

When a survivor or someone with knowledge of abuse makes a report to the hotline or online, they're put into contact with a victim services worker who can steer them to resources, if needed.

Then each claim is looked into by a team of people across different specialties, who decide if the claim can be forwarded to local authorities.

How can I report abuse or knowledge of abuse?

To file a report, call 877-222-2620 or use the online reporting tool at supportsurvivors.widoj.gov. Both options provide the ability to file an anonymous tip.

The department is still accepting reports and said survivors have control of what happens after their report is received.

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/09/wisconsins-faith-leader-abuse-investigation-yields-300-plus-reports/86299751007/

"So far, the Catholic dioceses of Wisconsin have declined to share information with the DOJ."  So, it's business as usual at the Catholic Church, where the Pope says one thing, but his minions do otherwise.  Children are sex fodder for the Catholic Church.  It was that way 60 years ago when a priest put his hands on me and it's that way today despite the Catholic Church's ongoing lies and deceit.  A "religion" of swine.  They've been diddling kids for over 2,000 years.  Disgusting!

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Judge blocks attorney general review of sealed Milwaukee Archdiocese bankruptcy documents

From JSOnline:

Jessie OpoienLaura Schulte

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON — A federal judge ruled this week against allowing access to court documents sealed nearly a decade ago in a bankruptcy filing by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, denying a request made by the state Department of Justice as part of an investigation into sexual abuse committed by faith leaders in Wisconsin.

U.S. District Judge G. Michael Halfenger wrote in a Sept. 30 decision that the agency failed to make a valid case for revisiting the bankruptcy decision and did not provide a sufficient plan for notifying clergy abuse victims of its request for access to sealed records.

In a motion filed last year with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Attorney General Josh Kaul requested a confidential review of "sealed claims by survivors, objections to those claims, briefing on such objections, and rulings on the objections." Kaul argued the Archdiocese of Milwaukee had not voluntarily provided records sought by the agency.

Under the request, information from the documents would have been used to further a state DOJ investigation into the scope of faith leader abuse in Wisconsin, but no documents would be released publicly.

"Given the decades of secrecy and subversion surrounding abuse reports and the findings in other states in which inquiries into faith leader abuse were conducted, DOJ’s independent review of the lists of credibly accused priests published by dioceses in Wisconsin is amply justified," Kaul argued in the motion.

The DOJ motion sought to reopen the 2015 case that resulted in a settlement between the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and hundreds of survivors, in which the organization agreed to pay $21 million to compensate victims of sexual abuse. The settlement brought an end to a long-running case in bankruptcy court. 

Kaul's request to reopen the case was limited to the DOJ's request to access sealed documents.

"DOJ does not ask for anything to be unsealed; it only asks that the DOJ be included among those that are permitted to confidentially review claims and related documents," the motion read.

The Archdiocese objected, arguing that abuse survivors filed their claims with the understanding they would be "received and maintained in the strictest confidence, under permanent seal, and that access to them be given only to a small and specified number of individuals who agreed in writing to comply with detailed confidentiality protocols," Halfenger wrote in his decision.

"The sheer magnitude of the State’s request is staggering, and that is without even considering the substantial logistical hurdles that would need to be cleared (and the monetary and other costs that would need to be incurred) to provide Abuse Survivors with adequate notice of the State’s request in this complex case that has been closed since 2016," the judge wrote.

According to Halfenger's ruling, more than 580 claims were filed by survivors of clergy abuse, and more than 550 remain permanently under seal.

The decision "completely dismisses what survivors wanted and still want," Nate's Mission program director Peter Isely told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Nate's Mission is an advocacy group aimed at ending clergy abuse in Wisconsin, named for Nate Lindstrom, who accused multiple priests at St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere of sexually abusing him in the 1980s. He died by suicide in 2020, nearly one year after the abbey stopped sending secret payments he received for 10 years.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee filed for bankruptcy protection in 2011 as it faced more than a dozen civil lawsuits over its handling of abuse claims. The Archdiocese moved to reorganize, as the claims for financial compensation exceeded its means.

Under the eventual settlement agreement, 330 of about 570 people who filed sexual abuse claims in the case received financial settlements. At the time, the settlement payout paled in comparison to those in similar Catholic Church bankruptcy cases, such as Boston's $85 million settlement in 2003. 

Kaul alleged the claims that weren't part of the settlement meant abusers could have gotten away with their crimes, and that some survivors never got the justice they deserved.

"To the extent that names of abusers who should be on these lists are not — even if those abusers are deceased — their survivors may have lived not only with the trauma from abuse but also with the compounding harm of not having their abuse acknowledged," he wrote. "Having their abuser named, and their abuse recognized, can provide a sense of healing for survivors of abuse."

The motion outlined how obtaining information included in the settlement might help complete reports made during the DOJ's faith leader inquiry.

The bankruptcy filings would provide a "unique opportunity to corroborate," Kaul argued.

The motion could have also granted the DOJ access to claims made against individuals within the Archdiocese who weren't clergy members, such as visiting priests, teachers and volunteers. 

Frank LoCoco, the attorney representing the Archdiocese of Milwaukee., noted that Halfenger referred to the DOJ case as a “massive fishing expedition.”

“We are thankful for Judge Halfenger’s ruling because a breach of confidentiality like that would have been devastating to abuse survivors who see this case as closed, and want their claim kept under seal by the court,” LoCoco said in a statement. “In his ruling, Judge Halfenger reasserts the bankruptcy court’s finding at the time that because the abuse happened so long ago in the 1950s-70s, there are no longer any public safety concerns."

The DOJ did not immediately provide comment on the decision.

This story will be updated.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2024/10/03/federal-judge-blocks-reopening-of-milwaukee-archdiocese-bankruptcy/75494623007/

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Wisconsin DOJ inquiry into clergy abuse reaches 3 years. Here's what we know so far

From JSOnline:

Laura Schulte

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON – The investigation into clergy abuse in Wisconsin, launched by Attorney General Josh Kaul, is now three years old.

Since its launch, the inquiry has brought charges against clergy members and resulted in hundreds of reports gathered from religious organizations across the state.

Here's what we know about the ongoing look at abuse by clergy in Wisconsin.

How many clergy abuse reports have been made to the DOJ?

As of April 24, there have been 274 completed reports with the department, according to information from a department press release Thursday.

Of those reports, 66 had never been reported before and 76 had only been reported to a religious authority and not to law enforcement.

What has it accomplished so far?

Charges have been filed against three current or former clergy members or counselors, or the abuse has been reported to a religious authority and the abuser has been added to the list of credibly accused abusers.

A year ago, Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal of the Catholic Church, was charged with one count of fourth-degree sexual assault for an incident that occurred in 1977. The former cardinal allegedly engaged in repeated sexual abuse of the victim over time, including once fondling the victim while staying as a guest at a Lake Geneva residence.

In January, the court determined McCarrick was not competent to stand trial. That decision will be reviewed in a Dec. 27 hearing.

In addition, abuse by John Cullinan, a deceased Catholic priest who served in the La Crosse diocese, was reported for the first time. The DOJ worked with the diocese to add his name to its list of clergy with substantiated allegations of abuse.

In May 2022, an arrest warrant was issued for 61-year-old Jeffrey Anthony Charles, who police say sexually assaulted a minor at a cabin in Douglas County between 2005 and 2010. 

Charles served as the pastor for the nondenominational church Neighbors to Nations in Princeton, Minn., at the time of the assaults, but routinely traveled to his Wisconsin cabin with parishioners. He is accused of assaulting the victim four times five years, while the victim was between the ages of 3 and 7.

In February 2022, Remington Jon Nystrom, 33, was charged with one count of first-degree sexual contact with a child under 13 in connection with an incident that occurred in 2009. Nystrom was a counselor at a Mount Morris camp in Waushara County when, police say, he inappropriately touched a sleeping child. The camp is affiliated with the Moravian Church of America.

Last year, Nystrom was convicted of second-degree sexual abuse of a child, and sentenced to seven years of prison, followed by 10 years of extended supervision.

Two cases have also been handed over to Brown County investigators, but no charges have yet been filed there

Have the Catholic dioceses helped with the investigation?

The five dioceses in Wisconsin haven't voluntarily opened up their records for the department but have said that if there is a specific allegation for a current, living member of the clergy they'd be willing to share information with investigators.

Is the inquiry only looking at Catholic clergy?

No, the department is accepting reports and tips relating to abuses of power in all types of religious institutions. Only a few of the cases that have been made public have involved Catholic clergy.

Will the report be released soon?

There is still no formal release date for the report, according to the press release, because some reports are still being followed up on. But when it is released, it will include an overview of the inquiry, a summary of the reports made and what was done in response. It will also include institutional responses to allegations.

When was the inquiry started?

Kaul announced the faith leader review at the end of April 2021.

What have critics said?

Members of the advocacy group Nate's Mission, named for a man who took his life after being abused as a child by a priest, have raised questions about the department's inquiry. In particular, the group wants Kaul to be more aggressive with obtaining information directly from the Catholic dioceses and, in particular, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

The group has applauded the resources provided for survivors but says there needs to be more action taken.

What's going on with the Archdiocese lawsuit?

In August, Kaul sought access to court documents sealed nearly a decade ago as a part of a bankruptcy filing by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The bankruptcy filing was related to a $21 million settlement to compensate victims of sexual abuse by clergy.

The department is still waiting to hear from the courts on whether the documents will be unsealed for examination by Kaul and his team.

Kaul said in August that he filed the motion because the Archdiocese has not voluntarily provided records for the inquiry.

In response, the Archdiocese said that the request was a violation of the survivors and others in the case, because private details could become available to investigators.

What happens when someone makes a report?

When a survivor or someone with knowledge of abuse makes a report to the hotline or online, they're put into contact with a victim services worker who can steer then to resources if needed.

Then each claim is looked into be a team of people across different specialties, who decide if the claim can be forwarded to local authorities.

How can I report abuse or knowledge of abuse?

To file a report, call 877-222-2620 or use the online reporting tool at supportsurvivors.widoj.gov. Both options provide the ability to file an anonymous tip. 

The department is still accepting reports and said survivors have control of what happens after their report is received. 

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/25/wisconsin-clergy-abuse-inquiry-enters-third-year-what-we-know-so-far/73452106007/

As usual, the Catholic Church is doing what it can to protect its pedophiles.  Their senile, demented "leader" keeps spitting up platitudes while the priests bugger the kids.  Amen.