c. 2006 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ The biggest political sex scandal on Capitol Hill has now intersected the long-running clergy sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.

Speaking on behalf of former Rep. Mark Foley, his attorney, David Roth, said Tuesday (Oct. 3) at a Florida press conference that Foley was molested by a “clergyman” when he was between the ages of 13 and 15.

Foley, the Florida Republican accused of inappropriate online contact with underage congressional pages, is currently in rehab for alcohol abuse and behavioral problems.

Roth did not name the clergyman or the church and would not say if the alleged abuser was a Catholic priest. Foley, a Catholic, grew up in Florida.

“Mark does not blame the trauma he sustained as a young adolescent for his totally inappropriate e-mails and IMs,” Roth said, referring to instant messages.

Roth said the disgraced congressman would “address this issue further upon his release from treatment.”

Roth said Foley had never spoken publicly before about the abuse and said, “as so often is the case for victims of abuse, Mark advises that he kept his shame to himself for almost 40 years.”

A spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops declined to comment on the matter.

David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said the overwhelming majority of victims never disclose their abuse; those who do disclose it often act only after they detect patterns of failure or are forced to look inward.

“Many do (disclose their abuse) in times of crisis when the spouse says, `We’re getting a divorce’ or the boss says, `You’re fired’ or the policeman says, `You’re over the alcohol limit,”’ Clohessy said. `It’s not uncommon for victims to do what he did, which is essentially hit rock bottom and say, `This is a factor.”’

But Bill Donohue, president of the conservative New York-based Catholic League, accused Foley of trying to play “the Catholic card.”

“Together with his other maladies, Foley is obviously seeking to exculpate his behavior, despite protestations to the contrary by his attorney,” Donohue said. “Foley knows that the public is prepared to believe the worst about priests in today’s environment.”

Clohessy said childhood trauma doesn`t excuse adult wrongdoing, but conceded that because of the timing of Foley’s revelation, it will be tempting for some to doubt his accusation.

“But I think we as a society need to err on the side of protecting kids and believing accusers rather than immediately discounting them,” he said.

Clohessy urged Foley, 52, to report his abuse “as soon as possible” to law enforcement officials in case his abuser is still active in ministry. He also urged Foley to seek professional help.

“I would recommend that once he feels he’s made real progress with the alcoholism,” Clohessy said, “he should get into an inpatient facility to deal with the abuse _ the abuse he suffered and perpetrated.”

KRE/PH END BIRD