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Minn. Lawyer Who Targeted Pope Has Won $60M in Settlements

Jeff Anderson wants to question Benedict under oath

By the Associated Press

Posted Mar 29, 2010 7:41 AM CDT
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(AP) – Before he last week released documents showing that an office led by Pope Benedict XVI halted a trial against a priest accused of molesting some 200 deaf boys, Jeff Anderson had already filed thousands of lawsuits alleging sex abuse by priests and won more than $60 million for his clients. But the Minnesota lawyer has a bigger goal in mind. He wants to bring his career-long legal crusade against misconduct in the Roman Catholic Church right to the top.

What he'd really like, he tells the AP, would be to question Pope Benedict XVI under oath. Though that is extremely unlikely given that the pope is a head of state, documents Anderson unearthed have the potential to take the scandal that has plagued dioceses around the world and place it at the doorstep of Vatican leadership. "This is a tipping point," said Anderson, who hopes to use the unearthed documents to bolster a separate federal lawsuit against the Vatican itself.

In this March 25, 2010 file photo, Attorney Jeff Anderson discusses Catholic Church records concerning sexual misconduct allegations during a new conference at Anderson Law Offices in St Paul, Minn.
In this March 25, 2010 file photo, Attorney Jeff Anderson discusses Catholic Church records concerning sexual misconduct allegations during a new conference at Anderson Law Offices in St Paul, Minn.   (Craig Lassig)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
Mad
Mar 29, 2010 3:02 PM CDT
Any Xian that puts one dime in the collection plate - knowing it may be spent in the defense of or paying off judgments for pedophiles - is a damn fool.

How many churches over how many years must collect how much tithing to equal $60M?
hankhill
Mar 29, 2010 2:41 PM CDT
good for him
followupnewsnetwork
Mar 29, 2010 1:29 PM CDT
You Sir are brilliant..... The only way to stop anything is to destroy the power source. The KKK was wiped off the map by successfully suing them in court. The depraved and insane of this cult cannot move into the future without money....period. You keep doing your job, and we the survivors will try stop their faithful from writing anymore checks to the cult.
They are already closing churches and selling us back the properties. We will soon reclaim the health and well being of the children, and showing them how to destroy and recognize the the sick and depraved.

Remember : "Religion is childish"...Albert Einstein

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Pope Benedict XVI • Catholic Church • Wisconsin • Vatican • Minnesota • Roman Catholic Church • Catholic Church sex scandals • Jeff Anderson

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