Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is seeking a court order to force the Seattle Archdiocese to turn over files on priests accused of sexual abuse as part of an investigation into how the state’s Catholic dioceses handled claims of child sex abuse. Ferguson is looking into allegations that the Catholic Church has facilitated and covered up decades of child sexual abuse by Church leaders in Washington State. His office filed a petition seeking an order to enforce a subpoena that would compel Seattle Archbishop Paul Etienne to appear for a deposition and produce internal records dating back decades.
The Seattle Archdiocese has refused to cooperate with civil subpoenas issued by Ferguson’s office last summer and last month, prompting him to take legal action. The Archdiocese stated that it has already turned over some of the requested information and has no concerns about sharing them with the Attorney General lawfully and fairly. If obtained, the court order would legally compel Archbishop Etienne to answer questions under oath and produce records related to clergy sexual abuse allegations. Ferguson emphasized the importance of a public accounting of how the Catholic Church handles such allegations and expressed disappointment in the lack of cooperation from the Church.
Ferguson’s investigation is the first outside probe of the Seattle Archdiocese’s handling of clergy abuse and is supported by survivors and advocacy groups. The archdiocese has identified at least 79 clergy members as credibly accused sex offenders, but has resisted calls to release its secret files on clergy abuse. The Attorney General’s office has stated that it will seek court orders against the other Catholic dioceses in Washington if they fail to comply with their subpoenas. This investigation is part of a broader trend, as 23 attorney generals across the country have publicly announced investigations into the Catholic Church in their states.
Ferguson’s subpoenas cite Washington’s Charitable Trust Act as the legal basis for the probe, focusing on the management of charitable assets and transactions involving trustees and other individuals. This approach has never been used to investigate a religious organization in Washington, but it is similar to actions taken by other attorney generals in states like New York. The subpoenas demand the production of records dating back to 1940, including reports of sexual abuse allegations against clergy and records of communications with the Vatican about such claims. The dioceses were given deadlines to comply with the subpoenas, and failure to do so has led to legal action by Ferguson’s office.
The Seattle Archdiocese, along with the Yakima and Spokane dioceses, received amended subpoenas last month that included additional categories of records related to finances and accounting. While the Seattle Archdiocese had until May 10 to comply with the latest subpoena, it notified the Attorney General’s office this week that it objected to the subpoena and would not be complying. The Yakima and Spokane dioceses have until May 22 to comply with their subpoenas. The investigation into the Catholic Church’s handling of child sexual abuse is a significant step towards accountability and transparency in Washington State, supported by the legal authority of the Attorney General.
