Harrisburg Catholic Diocese becomes first in Pennsylvania to file for bankruptcy amid sex abuse crisis

By MARK SCOLFORO

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FEB 19, 2020 | 1:30 PM

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, six months after disclosing it had paid millions of dollars to people sexually abused as children by its clerics.

The diocese joins at least 20 others across the United States in seeking protection from creditors through the federal bankruptcy system, but it is the first diocese in Pennsylvania to take such a step.

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In August, the diocese said it paid 106 people a total of just over $12 million to compensate for claims of sexual abuse they suffered as children from its clerics, deacons and seminarians. Six others did not accept payment offers from the diocese.

The filing in Harrisburg federal bankruptcy court said the diocese “faces potentially significant exposure from remaining claimants" and wants Chapter 11 reorganization to provide money for unresolved claims and perform its ministry and other operations.

The diocese serves about 250,000 Catholics in 89 parishes, spanning 15 counties.

https://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-pa-harrisburg-diocese-bankruptcy-20200219-6bmtvdxsfzf5fei2fjhwikudmq-story.html

George Zimmerman sues Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg for defamation, seeks $265 million

GARY WHITE | THE LAKELAND LEDGER

LAKELAND, Fla. – George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the fatal shooting of a Florida teenager in 2012, filed a lawsuit against two presidential candidates, alleging they defamed him.

Zimmerman, who lives in Polk County, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in 10th Judicial Circuit Court. The suit names Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg as defendants.

The suit claims Warren and Buttigieg separately defamed Zimmerman in Twitter statements Feb. 5 recognizing what would have been Trayvon Martin’s 25th birthday. The suit says both did so “for political gain in misguided and malicious attempts to bolster their standings amongst African-American voters, all at Zimmerman’s expense.”

Sen. Warren, D-Mass., has about 3.6 million Twitter followers, and Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has about 1.6 million.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/19/george-zimmerman-sues-pete-buttigieg-elizabeth-warren-defamation/4808184002/