The Final Report of the Chaplain Selection Committee was released today by the co-chairmen of the committee, Rep. Earl Pomeroy and Rep. Tom Bliley. Catholic League president William Donohue read the report and issued the following comment on it today:
“If there had been no serious questions left unanswered following the selection of Rev. Charles Wright as the new House Chaplain, then the Final Report would have been a satisfactory conclusion to the process. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. Not only were there some very disturbing aspects to the selection process, the Final Report does not address the issues that are responsible for the controversy.
“Exactly one week ago today, I faxed a letter to all 18 members of the selection committee asking pointed questions about the process. In addition, I wrote to the three congressmen charged with making the final selection, Rep. Dennis Hastert, Rep. Dick Armey and Rep. Dick Gephardt, asking them to comment on certain aspects of the process. While I have heard from several of them, including Hastert and Armey, most failed to directly answer the questions they were given, thus feeding the speculation that the whole truth has not been told.
“Perhaps most important, stark contradictions have emerged in the responses I was sent by the congressmen. Moreover, there are contradictions between the Final Report and the responses of some who served on the selection committee. And just as important, the Final Report does not address the ethically outrageous questions that Father Timothy O’Brien was asked in the second round of the interview process.
“Next week the Catholic League will issue a more detailed statement summarizing our objections to the selection process. In the meantime, those who have tried to pressure the league would do well to take a hike.”
