Greedy Jeff Anderson Holds Press Conference To Lie About Diocese’s Handling of Abuse Case

Has the notorious lawyer Jeff Anderson now reached a new low of corruption in his jihad against the Catholic Church?

At a recent press conference, James Bottlinger, age 50, stood with Anderson in front of a flock of cameras and reporters to say that he had been abused as a teenager by Fr. Michael R. Freeman in the mid-1980s at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Lancaster, New York, in the Diocese of Buffalo.

Yet Anderson and Bottlinger have a lot of explaining to do with regards to their facts.

Why the lies, James?

At the conference, Bottlinger said that at age 19, he was approached by a Church official, who apparently was investigating Freeman, and Bottlinger told him of his abuse by Freeman. Of this episode, Bottlinger added, "The sexual abuse wasn't happening anymore. I just wanted to make a point that I didn't want Father Mike around kids, he shouldn't be a priest … You have to take action. Then he [the Church official] promised me he would."

And Bottlinger insisted at the press conference that even after he told of his abuse, the Church still allowed Freeman to remain in ministry, as Church officials "really didn't do anything."

Quite simply, Anderson and Bottlinger are lying. On March 21, 1989, the Church completely revoked the faculties and completely removed Freeman from ministry. Thus, if Bottlinger spoke to a diocesan official about his abuse at age 19, then Freeman would have been removed from ministry for good almost immediately after Bottlinger's report! Freeman's very last assignment in the Church was at the parish where Bottlinger says Freeman abused him.

And contrary to the claims from Anderson and Bottlinger ("Freeman was allowed to continue in ministry unabated and allowed to go into other parishes in Pennsylvania and other states"), Freeman never again had another assignment anywhere in the Church.

At the press conference, Bottlinger also claimed that he learned from last year's Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report that Freeman had continued on in ministry as a priest in Pennsylvania after abusing Bottlinger in the Diocese of Buffalo. Yet in truth, the grand jury report says no such thing at all.

[**Click to see an assignment history of Fr. Michael Freeman**]

The only thing that is true is that the diocese did know of abuse committed by Freeman before the abuse of Bottlinger. However, the diocese sent Freeman for two outpatient therapy stints at Southdown Institute in Ontario, which was exactly what was recommended at that time in the 1980s and was instructed to the bishops in an important 1985 report.

However, it sure seems that when the diocese learned that Freeman had reoffended and was incorrigible, it immediately removed his faculties and ripped him out of ministry.

Getting that payday, James?

What is clear is that both Anderson and Bottlinger must have known about Freeman being removed from ministry after Bottlinger's report of being abused. It is almost impossible to imagine otherwise, as the facts of Freeman's ministry had already been publicized in a report that Anderson himself published about accused priests in Buffalo.

There is no other conclusion to reach except that these two men lied at the press conference. And we do not make such a charge lightly.

James has made it well known that turned down a hefty offer from the Church of $650,000, the largest settlement offer that the Diocese of Buffalo has made since establishing a $17.5 million "compensation fund." He says he wants to take his case to a jury, which one would assume would award him much more.

We hope any extra money is worth your integrity, James.