Ex-Cardinal Allegedly Ran Sex Ring At Beach House

The Roman Catholic Church continues to demonize normal, well adjusted gays while still struggling to face the truth that the institution's priesthood was a hiding place for pedophiles and sexual predators - something I continue to blame on the Church's 12th century views on sex and sexuality that generated so many warped individuals.  Worse, yet, the problem reached to high levels within the Church and for decades - likely centuries - the Vatican turned a blind eye to what was right before it had anyone bothered to look and/or put the lives of children and youths ahead of protecting the Church's image.  The latest bombshell is a story reported by New York Daily News that reports on a new lawsuit filed in New Jersey. I remain amazed that anyone can remain Catholic given the Church leaderships stunning moral bankruptcy (my entire family has left it).  Here are story highlights:

Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick allegedly ran a depraved sex ring of underage boys at a beach house on the Jersey Shore, a disturbing new lawsuit claims.

The suit, filed by a man using the pseudonym Doe 14, claims that in 1982 and 1983, when he was as young as 14 years old, he and other victims were taken on weekend overnight trips to a Sea Girt beach house.

“McCarrick assigned sleeping arrangements, choosing his victims from the boys, seminarians and clerics present at the beach house,” according to the suit filed in state court under New Jersey’s Child Victims Act.

“On these occasions, minor boys were assigned to different rooms and paired with adult clerics.”

The victim claims that he fell into McCarrick’s clutches in 1982 through Brother Andrew Hewitt, who was then principal at Essex Catholic Boy’s High School. Hewitt allegedly abused Doe. He also introduced McCarrick to Doe as someone who could help pay the boy’s school tuition, the suit claims.

At the time, McCarrick was Bishop of the Archdiocese of Metuchen. He became a cardinal in February 2001. Hewitt died in 2002.

The suit names other members of the Catholic Church who also allegedly abused Doe. It alleges that McCarrick steadily climbed the hierarchy of the church despite being dogged by accusations of abuse for decades.

McCarrick, 90, in 2018 became the first cardinal in nearly a century to resign from his position following his suspension for a credible sexual abuse allegation involving an altar boy in New York. He’s denied wrongdoing.

The Daily News has previously reported on creepy postcards McCarrick sent to boys that experts say had the hallmarks of grooming.

The new suit is not the first to reference the beach house.

Virginia GOP Activist Quits Republican Party over Trump

As regular readers know, in my view, being a moral and decent person and being actively involved in today's Republican Party are mutually exclusive.  You simply cannot be both.  And I make this remark as a former GOP activist myself before the Party transformed into the racist, moral cesspool that it has become.  Indeed, Millennials other than evangelicals seemingly agree with me and shun the GOP by super majorities.  Now, a young rising star in the Republican Party of Virginia has resigned and left the GOP citing Donald Trump's racist comments about Africa and Haiti as the final straw.  One can only hope that those dwindling number of moral Republicans will follow suit.  Here are excerpts from the Washington Post:

A young Republican activist from Northern Virginia who was seen as a potential rising star quit the party Tuesday, citing President Trump’s “appalling comments” about Haitian immigrants and what he called a nativist streak in his home state.

Kyle McDaniel, 28, served on the party’s State Central Committee for two years and has worked as a top aide for Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield), who said he had hoped McDaniel would eventually run for public office.

But McDaniel said he harbored increasing reservations over where the party has been heading. On Tuesday, he sent a letter of resignation to State Party Chairman John Whitbeck that described events he “could no longer stomach,” including Trump’s reported reference last week to Haiti as a “shithole” country and the defense by some party leaders of this summer’s rally by neo-Nazis in Charlottesville that led to the death of a 32-year-old woman.

McDaniel also cited an unsuccessful effort by himself and other younger Republicans to remove or formally censure a member of the state party’s 11th Congressional District Committee in Northern Virginia, who, among other things, called Islam “a death cult created by Satan.”

Although McDaniel is not a marquee name in the state party’s leadership, the news of his departure touched a nerve among some officials, who said they worry that Trump is causing deep fissures in the party, especially among younger Republicans. In Northern Virginia in particular, anti-Trump sentiments run high, helping to fuel a wave of Democratic victories in November.

“We can’t even count or imagine how many people would be part of our ranks who just take a look at what’s going on and say ‘No thanks’, ” said Stephen Spiker, 32, another member of the 11th Congressional District Committee. “For the younger demographic, it’s a bridge they can’t cross.”

“We wish Mr. McDaniel the best in his future endeavors but he owes every member of his party an apology for repeating the Democrat talking points that Republicans are a bunch of racists,” Whitbeck said in a statement.

 

Herrity said he hoped McDaniel will someday return to the Republican fold. “I still think he will run for office one day,” he said. “I would hazard to predict he’ll do it as a Republican.”

McDaniel, who works as a real estate agent in Alexandria, said that isn’t likely.  “I’m totally out,” he said. “I’ll support candidates I agree with, but as far as any party affiliation, I’m out. I’m independent.” 

My message to Mr. Whitbeck: look in the mirror - you are a bunch of racists.  I've often speculated as to when KKK robes would be handed out at the start of GOP city and county committee meetings.  Kudos to McDaniel for walking away.