I wonder how Sean Hannity and Chris Matthews will rationalize this…
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Download | Play (Thanks to KL and Bill W. for vids)
Presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani hired a Catholic priest to work in his consulting firm months after the priest was accused of sexually molesting two former students and an altar boy and told by the church to stop performing his priestly duties.
The priest, Monsignor Alan Placa, a longtime friend of Giuliani and the priest who officiated at his second wedding to Donna Hanover, continues to work at Giuliani Partners in New York, to the outrage of some of his accusers and victims’ groups, which have begun to protest at Giuliani campaign events.
“This man did unjust things, and he’s being protected and employed and taken care of. It’s not a good thing,” said one of the accusers, Richard Tollner, who says Placa molested him repeatedly when he was a student at a Long Island, N.Y. Catholic boys high school in 1975.
At a campaign appearance in Milwaukee last week, Giuliani continued to defend Placa, who he described to reporters as a close friend for 39 years.
“I know the man; I know who he is, so I support him,” Giuliani said. “We give some of the worst people in our society the presumption of innocence and benefit of the doubt,” he said. “And, of course, I’m going to give that to one of my closest friends.”
Interestingly, despite his protestations to the Religious Right that they had nothing to fear from him at the Values Voter Summit last weekend, Giuliani obviously did not impress them. However, that didn’t keep the media from furthering the narrative of his front-runner status.
I don’t know that a cozy relationship with a disgraced and defrocked monsignor is going to help Giuliani win more votes from those last remaining diehards in the Republican Party. That would make those in the media pushing him as the candidate look bad, wouldn’t it? So what are the chances that anyone other than Brian Ross will mention it?
No Trackbacks To “Giuliani’s “Values” Include Defending And Hiring An Accused Molester“
isnt this post a bit presumptuous?
‘innocent until proven guilty’?
Umm seriously…he’s “ACCUSED” not “CONVICTED”…don’t stoop to the level of the right wing! People are innocent until proven guilty in this country (unless they get kidnapped to gitmo)…so stop piling with crap like this!
What exactly does this priest do to earn a paycheck from Giuliani Partners?
I second thought, I don’t want to know.
Placa knows Guiliani’s past.
Some people are impossible to fire or divorce.
Seán Hannity attended the same school while Placa was there as Dean of Students.
Fox’s phone should really be ringing off the hook about now…
A Catholic priest raping boys? Unimaginable.
Seriously, if he is accused, let him go to court. If there is evidence to show that he is being protected, lets hear that.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t let him hang around my kids.
So what are the chances that anyone other than Brian Ross will mention it?
Oh, the chances are slim indeed! I think it’s interesting that a conservative bastion like ABC News would even allow Brian Ross to report on something like this in the first place. What gives?
Ghouliani to Fr. Placa, “I wish I could quit you”.
Monorail @ 7:
It’s past the statute of limitations for them to pursue a criminal case. However, the information given to the Archdiocese was compelling enough that they told Placa he could no longer perform priestly functions. It’s not like the Catholic Church is known for pre-emptive actions when accusations of molestation come up.
Giuliani hired Placa after the accusation and defrocking…and Giuliani has a history of retaining relationships business and otherwise with people who have shady backgrounds (Kerik, anyone?). I’m just trying to show a pattern here.
I agree that he is innocent until proven guilty. No matter what the appearances, that has to remain the standard.
Sorry PVS and Igor, he will never be found guilty because the statute of limitations has run out. In the court of public opinion, however, we are free to hang him on the basis that he has been banned by his church from wearing his priestly garb and fulfilling his priestly functions. The fact that he has bragged about how he has helped keep molesters from being brought to justice is equally damning. So, no, it is not presumptuous to judge this pedophile harshly, nor is it unfair to judge Guiliani by the company he keeps. On his payroll.
I have to say that I support Guilliani in this (probably the ONLY thing I will ever agree with him about). At this point it is a he said she said situation and he is saying he knows the man so I am guessing that he knows him well enough that he doesn’t believe accusations. Also, the alleged victim is livid because he has a job. What would he do, have him shackled and sent to the desert to die? Unless this guy is tried and convicted of a crime should his life be over because of accusations? He did already pay a high price in loosing his vocation so in a sense he has paid for the alleged crime. You can’t deny him an opportunity to earn a living.
Joementum @ 3:
Absolution ……..
Watch V for Vendetta ;)
Though I do agree with innocent till proved guilty, don’t turn into the enemy. Even with the R.C. church’s track record ………
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.....buse_cases
Nicole, thanks for that additional information and that does cast a different shadow on the story. What is he consulting about at Rudy’s firm? What value is he adding to the firm?
Hannity will blame it on a left wing conspiracy and Matthews will get all girly and giddy extolling Placa’s manly good looks.
What’s a “Values Voter” to do?
It sounds like the Church convicted him.
Considering that they prefer to hush these things up, the evidence was probably overwhelming. And it may not have just been two boys that they knew about.
Bill O’Reilly could help defend him. This is right up his alley. He’d argue that the boys seduced the priest.
pissed off patricia @ 11:
PoP,
I usually agree with you but this time, not so much. The Catholic church doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record in dealing with pedophile priests. As far as I’m concerned, any time they’re willing to go so far as to remove one from his position it’s as good as a conviction. After all, they know all the grisly details that they’ll never allow the public to ever hear.
Weaseldog @ 18:
That…or that it sounds as if Richard Tollner had a good thing going there….just like Shawn Hornbeck…
Oh…and here’s the phone number for Fox News:
(212) 556-2500
.
Wouldn’t protecting and defending a disgraced defrocked pedo be something that would make the religious reich happy?
Another sicko friend of Giuliani.
It is rather telling that the incredibly negligent Catholic Church defrocked this bastard considering how many of these freaks are shuffled around and protected (Bernard Law anyone? Pope RATzinger requesting immunity for such things from Bush? Hello…).
This creep is as innocent as OJ.
The court system provides a “presumption of innocence” to the accused.
That doesn’t mean that Giuliani needs to pay someone who seems to be a criminal.
I guess I am ornery today. I am not sure why this is a story. He wasn’t actually convicted of anything. While I agree that a de-frocking may be as good as guilty. However, are pedophiles never supposed to work again in their lives? Granted I don’t want them teaching school or exposed to an environment full of children, but what are they supposed to do? Go to a leper colony to live out the rest of their days?
Great. On the other thread it appeared I was condoning rendition and now I am going to look like I am protecting pedophiles.
I need a drink
So people don’t listen, it was found that he did rap these boys and covered up for others. but because of the statue of limitation he can’t be prosecuted.
t-bone @ 12:
and what if its simply a case of an overly paranoid and kneejerk reactionary cathlic church simply banning accused priests to avoid any more negative publicity? you seem to imply a justified chain reaction of unproven convictions, from the accusers, to the bishops, to the public. just a series of accusations, each put forth justified by the last. all seems sort of a mccarthyist mentality, imho
t-bone @ 12:
Monorail @ 7:
Igor @ 2:
So people don’t listen, it was found that he did rap these boys and covered up for others. but because of the statue of limitation he can’t be prosecuted
Click here for the Suffolk County Grand Jury’s Report.
Yellow elephant (19) if you read my comment (15) after Nicole added more info to the story I felt different about the situation.
Fanon @ 24:
We expect Presidential candidates to have a higher standard in choosing work associates.
Why does Placa look so familiar? As far as I know I have never seen anyone named Placa before but still, he looks very familiar.
pissed off patricia @ 31:
Funny, I was thinking the same thing!!!
.
Sick pricks stick together.
Dave @ 30:
Maybe you do. I have stopped expcectin anything from people in public life. I certainly never expect that their standards or morals are higher than the average human.
pissed off patricia @ 31:
He didn’t molest you, did he?
pissed off patricia @ 31:
He looks like John Wayne Gacy.
Rudolph Giuliani Is Going Down Too Fast; The Dems Need Him
Dammit, I was hoping Rudolph Giuliani would capture the Republican Party nomination for presidency. It appears, as they often do, the Republicans live in a pipe dream. I was counting on this fact to help the Democrats get elected into the executive office.
Lets face it, Giuliani has problems. His kids hate him; he hates minorities; he supports gays and dresses in drag every now and then just to feel the soft nylon texture on his body. The former of these issues alone will defeat his national bid for presidency. Anybody hanging on to the Bush doctrine concerning Iraq and Iran deserves to be defeated. It takes a special kind of stupidity to not see our current president is a loser. Hello Giuliani, do you want us to “bring it on” as well?
The Mass Flip-Flop Of The Republican Candidates is Coming
Oh it is coming. As soon as the Republicans get through with their primary, they will tone down the far right call to continue the war, reverse their strong “right to life” call, and, while their at it, reverse any other extreme view that has no place outside of the far right. It will be a flip-flop party like you never saw before. It will not work. The American voter is too critical and wore out of Republican lies and manipulations. It is time for a veto proof change. The Republican’s ability to think they know what America’s need is biggest dysfunctional aspect of the Republican Party. They are out of touch and very guilty of believing their own lies Let Giuliani do his thing. We need him.
Joseph
Joseph
Joseph @ 37:
You’re dreaming.
Dave @ 30:
I agree with Nicole and Dave on this one. I would like to add that Guiliani can still be a friend without hiring him. It’s insensitive to the victims if you ask me. The fact that Rude-y always acts so surprised when people are taken aback by his actions and choices are evidence of his cluelessness and not his fitness for the highest office in the nation. I had enough Bubble Boy as Prez to last a lifetime.
Rudy says his best friend is a child molesting catholic priest, that explains why Rudy likes to where dresses. They are both sexual spastics….
Never wanna defend Jerkiani, but an accusation does not equal proof.
t-bone @ 12:
So the only “evidence” you have is that he bragged about something. I don’t think you fully understand PVS and Igor’s reasoning. You do seem to fully understand how to use Rovian tactics. Lovely use of the word pedophile, but you should use the current fear raising term of choice, child predator.
Yep, the right wing has started their spin already…
“Well…well….what about Clinton?!?!?!?!”
.
Once a Pedophile ALWAYS a Pedophile. I don’t take kindly to people who protect and make excuses for them. Rudy does fit that M.O.
Fox Noise ran this story back in August about it. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2.....sm,00.html
Well it is nice Giuliani takes care of his friends- and his former wives and kids just love him too. Well I guess we should vote for him. I am tired- how much longer until the election?
And when we have a democratic president… another 4 to 8 years of whining?
I am tired- how much longer until the rapture?
I won’t knock someone for not discriminating against someone who’s been accused and is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He’s taking a risk in doing that, even with his own base of voters. What gets me is that Repubs are only champions of civil rights when it comes to themselves and their “very close friends.” Anyone else would be, as suggested by the post, presumed guilty and unworthy of any job other than maybe cleaning toilets in jail by Guliani. Repubs are hypocrites. “Loyalty” to friends trumps everything. Civil rights are only used as a means to an end. They’re hypocrites. Let’s not become them just to attack them. Focus on the real issues revealed by his actions.
Cantor de Mambo @ 46:
True. Perhaps the most important things that a President does is appointing people to work with him.
Dave @ 47:
“Appointing” someone who’s been accused of a crime shows what?
Well, we’ve got the pedophile priest and the mafia pal (Bernard Kerik)….I wonder if Romney will mention them. Nah. But what really scares me about Rudy is that his “foreign policy advisors” are essentially the same American Enterprise Institute PNAC-NeoCons who were in bed with Cheney when it came to hyping the need to go to war in Iraq, and all those bogus assurances how well it would go. Giuliani: Bush on steroids. And if anyone will relish reveling in the Unitary Executive power grab (another Cheney gift to Amerika), it’ll be Rudy.