Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

We\'re not
going back!

(=^.^=)

~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
FUCK
DONALD
TRUMP

(=^.^=)
~~~~~~~~
3.1415926535
897932384626
433832795028
841971693993
751058209749
445923078164
062862089986
$ $ $
MONEY
DOES NOT
EQUAL
SPEECH
$ $ $
*****
THE BEST
DEMOCRACY
MONEY CAN
BUY!!
*****
We\'re #1

Who knew?
So many
good Germans
in our party
:-(
Check out
all the stickies
on Grovelbot's
Big Board!

BumRushDaShow

(158,599 posts)
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 04:00 AM Jul 19

Trump admin and Catholic priests secure victory against child abuse reporting law that would violate the confidentiality

Source: Law & Crime

Jul 18th, 2025, 4:26 pm


The Trump administration secured a victory for the confidentiality of the confessional booth as a federal judge temporarily blocked a recently-enacted anti-child abuse statute in Washington state.

In a 25-page order, U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo, a Joe Biden appointee, issued a preliminary injunction that keeps mandatory reporting legislation passed this year from going into effect. Absent the court's order, SB 5375 would have become operative on July 27.

The law requires "any member of the clergy" who "has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect" to "report such incident, or cause a report to be made, to the proper law enforcement agency." This directive updates a pre-existing law that applies to a large swathe of job titles like social workers, school personnel, nurses, law enforcement officers, psychologists, and more.

The plaintiffs – led by Paul D. Etienne, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seattle – sued to enjoin the law in late May. Their 46-page original petition alleged a host of First Amendment violations – as well as violations of the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection. The U.S. Department of Justice joined the fray with a motion to intervene in late June, specifically challenging the law in terms of its application to information learned in the confessional booth.

Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/clergy-were-explicitly-singled-out-trump-admin-and-catholic-priests-secure-victory-against-child-abuse-reporting-law-that-would-violate-the-confidentiality-of-confessional/



Full headline: 'Clergy were explicitly singled out': Trump admin and Catholic priests secure victory against child abuse reporting law that would violate the confidentiality of confessional

Link to ORDER (PDF viewer) - https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26002525-etienne-v-ferguson-order/

Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26002525/etienne-v-ferguson-order.pdf
30 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump admin and Catholic priests secure victory against child abuse reporting law that would violate the confidentiality (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Jul 19 OP
How are they being singled out? As a healthcare worker, I am a mandatory reporter. Teachers are mandatory reporters tulipsandroses Jul 19 #1
Religion, power, money allows you to commit as many crimes as you want. Irish_Dem Jul 19 #4
All other clergy are mandatory reporters too JT45242 Jul 19 #5
Because according to the ruling... SickOfTheOnePct Jul 19 #8
I believe mgardener Jul 19 #11
They are using their confession process to be unaccountable IbogaProject Jul 19 #14
Tulips! popsdenver Jul 19 #19
There is not... SickOfTheOnePct Jul 19 #20
It applies to mgardener Jul 19 #21
Because Catholic Priests take a code of honor to never tell anyone about what sinners confess to them in private Polybius Jul 19 #29
So Paul D. Etienne, Archbishop of Seattle.. Permanut Jul 19 #2
Catholic priests allowed to be complicit in sexual assault of minors. Irish_Dem Jul 19 #3
Why not kkmarie Jul 19 #13
The church used the First Amendment kkmarie Jul 19 #6
Agree 100% that Pope Leo won't be supporting MAGA... SickOfTheOnePct Jul 19 #17
The Catholic Church... SickOfTheOnePct Jul 19 #18
Is "let the children suffer" a Bible verse? Vinca Jul 19 #7
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing 2na fisherman Jul 19 #9
It will soon be a violation Icanthinkformyself Jul 19 #10
Because of the fifth amendment no one has to speak to the government about any possible crimes they committed. Jacson6 Jul 19 #15
Priests hear the confessions of other priests, and then it's "sealed by the confessional" FakeNoose Jul 19 #12
more RWRE exemptions Nigrum Cattus Jul 19 #16
The timing of this is certainly...interesting. They're being rather bold by going out of their way to protect sexual Karasu Jul 19 #22
Well... SickOfTheOnePct Jul 19 #23
Of course they do. Sexual abusers need to support each other! travelingthrulife Jul 19 #24
Not to be glib, but didn't Trump post something in passing not long ago that... the nelm Jul 19 #25
Yeah, not everyone can afford millions to keep people quiet bucolic_frolic Jul 19 #26
Left that religion 50 years ago over their hypocrisy Ritabert Jul 19 #27
This administration is hell-bent on abusing children and truthisfreedom Jul 19 #28
Thats the problem its a free pass for them Historic NY Jul 19 #30

tulipsandroses

(7,854 posts)
1. How are they being singled out? As a healthcare worker, I am a mandatory reporter. Teachers are mandatory reporters
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 04:09 AM
Jul 19

Heck in some states, ordinary citizens are required to report suspected abuse.

Irish_Dem

(73,299 posts)
4. Religion, power, money allows you to commit as many crimes as you want.
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 05:25 AM
Jul 19

The rest of us have to follow the law.

JT45242

(3,578 posts)
5. All other clergy are mandatory reporters too
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 06:10 AM
Jul 19

I volunteer at a protestant church camp. We go through training every other year as mandatory reporters. All the clergy as well even though they must go thru the training to get and maintain standing.

Child abuse should never be allowed to be covered up.

But as Jimmy Carr says about the Pope, any Pope...he is the king of the pedos

SickOfTheOnePct

(8,351 posts)
8. Because according to the ruling...
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 07:35 AM
Jul 19

…within a few days of passing this law, they passed another law that expands the attorney-client privilege for the same offenses by including (sounds like) law professors who are working cases with clients.

The ruling does not apply to any knowledge gained outside of the confessional during an actual confession - plaintiffs didn’t challenge that, and such reporting is still required.

mgardener

(2,146 posts)
11. I believe
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 10:09 AM
Jul 19

That the law would include anything said to a priest in confession.

I'm sure a lot of sex abuse has been covered up under the seal of confession.

IbogaProject

(4,828 posts)
14. They are using their confession process to be unaccountable
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 11:45 AM
Jul 19

This is disgusting. They should be ashamed of them selves covering up for violent criminals instead of just letting them face justice early on and reducing repeat crimes.

popsdenver

(257 posts)
19. Tulips!
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 01:28 PM
Jul 19

Damn Straight!!!!!!!!!!!

All because of a Dr. here in Colorado by the Name of Henry Kempe who in the late 60's authored The Battered Child Syndrome.
He was a Professor of Pediatrics at CU Medical School and implemented laws here in Colorado that spread across the entire nation.

Previous to those laws, if a teacher, doctor, etc reported child abuse, they would almost always get sued by the parent, and the parent would most often win.
Kempe's influence caused the laws to be changed to where a Dr., Teacher, etc could be criminally charged for NOT reporting suspected child abuse.
Not only that, if they reported child abuse, they were immune from being sued.

After these Catholic priests behavior being documented these past decades, I can sure as hell see why they wouldn't want these laws to apply to them.......The Boy Scout leaders will be next, and then the children's team's coaches, etc etc etc.....

Polybius

(20,715 posts)
29. Because Catholic Priests take a code of honor to never tell anyone about what sinners confess to them in private
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 09:18 PM
Jul 19

Catholic law mandates that they be expunged from Priesthood if they tell anyone. It's been a while, but I believe they can't even tell another Priest.

Permanut

(7,496 posts)
2. So Paul D. Etienne, Archbishop of Seattle..
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 04:11 AM
Jul 19

Is suing for the right to keep silent about child abuse.

Got it.

kkmarie

(307 posts)
6. The church used the First Amendment
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 07:00 AM
Jul 19

The church used the first amendment to get the IRS ruling that not being able to endorse candidates or speak politics is against their First Amendment rights.

Then the church used it again to fight against the law that made it mandatory to report child abuse etc. And the court sided with the church.

This is just sickening.

On the bright side Pope Leo IS the catholic church. I'm 💯 certain Pope Leo won't be supporting any magas.

SickOfTheOnePct

(8,351 posts)
17. Agree 100% that Pope Leo won't be supporting MAGA...
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 12:39 PM
Jul 19

...but 100% guarantee that he supports this ruling.

SickOfTheOnePct

(8,351 posts)
18. The Catholic Church...
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 12:42 PM
Jul 19

...did not push to change the IRS rules about endorsing political parties and/or candidates, and says that they will continue with the no endorsement policy.

https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/catholic-church-maintains-its-stance-not-endorsing-or-opposing-political-candidates

2na fisherman

(55 posts)
9. Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 09:22 AM
Jul 19

So is a priest still permitted to give a child a benediction in the rectory?

Jacson6

(1,493 posts)
15. Because of the fifth amendment no one has to speak to the government about any possible crimes they committed.
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 12:23 PM
Jul 19

These are basically witnesses to a crime, so they shouldn't be exempt.

Karasu

(1,851 posts)
22. The timing of this is certainly...interesting. They're being rather bold by going out of their way to protect sexual
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 04:44 PM
Jul 19

predators at a time where sexual predators are very much at the forefront of awareness.

For reasons they know full well.

SickOfTheOnePct

(8,351 posts)
23. Well...
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 05:02 PM
Jul 19

...there would have been no need to defend the secrecy of the confessional until a law mandating that they break the secrecy was enacted, which was May 7 of this year, and the lawsuit was filed on May 29.

the nelm

(136 posts)
25. Not to be glib, but didn't Trump post something in passing not long ago that...
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 08:10 PM
Jul 19

with an image of him as Pope?

bucolic_frolic

(52,002 posts)
26. Yeah, not everyone can afford millions to keep people quiet
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 08:13 PM
Jul 19

so it's good to have someone experienced in the genre go to bat for you.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Trump admin and Catholic ...