Values — Ron Johnson Opposed Child Victims Act

[undeterred]

Run time: 00:42 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6kELNZNYYE   Posted on YouTube: October 20, 2010 By YouTube Member: wisdems09 Views on YouTube: 262   Posted on DU: October 24, 2010 By DU Member: undeterred Views on DU: 686

 
This is a Web ad by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin targeting Senator Feingold's opponent, Ron Johnson, who protects the financial interests of the Catholic Church instead of its sexual abuse victims. And he isn't even Catholic.

:shrug:

[Bitwit1234]

1. Oh no you gotta be kidding...this guys ad about FAMILY VALUES

and he says he has plenty of them, runs at least 15 to 20 times a day on our Mediacom cable. AND WE LIVE IN MN.

[undeterred]

2. He's origninally from MN.

Hey, would you guys please take him back? :hi:

[Billy Burnett]

3. Gotta luv the 1.2 second sound clip.

1.2 seconds tells the whole story, I'm sure. :eyes:

[mzteris]

4. whose side are you on?

Ron Johnson is a dirtbag.

[Billy Burnett]

7. I agree w/ post #s 4 5 6.

Just sayin' that using a highly edited crude and bad quality noir-ish 1.2 second sound byte isn't the most effective, imo.

Not siding w/him. I think that our side should come up with more cogent arguments.

:hi:

[mzteris]

5. from the WSJ

" . . . But there is one issue that Johnson feels passionately about - passionate enough to insert himself into the debate.

Prodded by a Catholic official, the Oshkosh businessman earlier this year jumped into the controversy over legislation aimed at making it easier for victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue their abusers.

Johnson, a Lutheran, sided with Catholic Church leaders in opposing the so-called Child Victims Act before a state Senate committee in January. The bill failed to win approval.

Here was the heart of his testimony:

"I believe it is a valid question to ask whether the employer of a perpetrator should also be severely damaged, or possibly destroyed, in our legitimate desire for justice."

Johnson had little to say about the victims of sexual abuse in his testimony. His was largely a financial concern.

He followed that up with this suggestion.

"This bill could actually have the perverse effect of leading to additional victims of sexual abuse," he argued, "if individuals, recognizing that their organizations are at risk, become less likely to report suspected abuse."

That argument doesn't sit well with victims of pedophile priests.

[undeterred]

6. The whole story is that Johnson is on the finance council for the diocese of Green Bay

which had "59 allegations of sexual abuse reported by 35 diocesan priests during the 52 year period of the inquiry, 1950-2002, according to the 2004 John Jay Report, commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Diocese of Green Bay".


"These pedophiles that they have hidden away, they pay their room and board, living costs," Merryfield said, speculating that Johnson "has to know who they are because he has to write the checks to somebody." According to Peter Isely, SNAP's Midwest Director, "It's something of a mystery what this finance council does," though, he says, it's one of the most important positions in the diocese.

Jim Stang, an attorney for official committees of abuse survivors in six Catholic affiliated bankruptcy cases, told TPM that these finance committees -- mandated at every diocese in the country -- are well-positioned to know about the skeletons in the Church's closets. When a case is settled, for instance, it would be in the financial interest of the Church, and therefore the council, to know of any other potential victims, and therefore lawsuits. "It would certainly be in the area of finance committee's appropriate inquiry to ask," Stang said.

Ultimately, though, Stang said it should come as no surprise that Johnson's testimony so closely mirrored the Church's position. "I think you'd have to live in some kind of plastic bubble to not make the association between statute of limitations reform and the financial impact on the diocese," Stang said. "It's certainly the argument the Church has been making for years."

Furthermore, the diocese is currently involved in two lawsuits, which, according to Reilly, is just the sort of potential liability the Church would bring to the attention of the council. "I also would say we have two lawsuits going on and depending on how they're settled, depending on whether the judge rules in our favor and how the jury rules, this is the potential financial risk that might be out there in the future," Reilly said. "In the case of the two litigations that we're involved in right now, I feel very strongly that we are on the correct side of the truth, but I said to the council, I need to make everybody aware that there are two lawsuits coming on so it's not a surprise. Nobody likes surprises."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/johnson-testified-to-protect-catholic-church-from-sex-abuse-settlements.php

[Qutzupalotl]

8. This could be edited a little tighter.

The idea is good, but the editing is a little choppy. I think it would be better without the audio clips. You (or they) can get by with just saying he opposed the measure. The proof would be easy enough to find for any viewers who doubt the claim, and cutting out the pauses for audio would help make the ad more compelling by keeping things moving.

[midnight]

9. K&R.