Church attorney calls on Foley to disclose name of alleged abuser

Published: 2006-10-13

PALM BEACH, Fla. (CNS) -- An attorney for the Diocese of Palm Beach and Archdiocese of Miami has made a formal request that former Congressman Mark Foley reveal the name of the clergyman he said abused him approximately 40 years ago. "Until such time as you identify the alleged perpetrator, all clergy that served in Palm Beach County have been needlessly placed under suspicion," attorney J. Patrick Fitzgerald said in an Oct. 5 letter to David Roth, Foley's lawyer. Foley, a Republican who had represented Florida's 16th district in the House since 1994, resigned his seat Sept. 29 following reports that he had sent sexually explicit e-mails and text messages to House pages who were minors. Roth said at a West Palm Beach, Fla., news conference Oct. 3 that Foley wanted to name the person who had molested him when he was 13 to 15 years old, but was advised not to until he completed a 30-day treatment plan for alcoholism and mental health issues.

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