The Archdiocese of Washington and Diocese of Wilmington: Maryland AG investigating

Moments before releasing a 456-page grand jury report detailing decades of sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said on Wednesday that his office has also been investigating the Archdiocese of Washington and Diocese of Wilmington.

Speaking to reporters at his offices in St. Paul Plaza in Baltimore, Brown said investigators launched those inquiries at the same time that they began looking into the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2018. He described those investigations as ongoing.

“We have issued subpoenas. We have been looking into this matter. And we will continue to do so,” Brown said.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore covers Baltimore City as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard and Washington counties.

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Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Washington includes Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties. The Diocese of Wilmington incorporates Cecil, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

The Office of Attorney General for the District of Columbia and the Delaware Department of Justice, respectively, launched investigations in 2018.

In a statement, Patricia Zapor, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Washington, said, “We recognize that past acts of abuse that occurred within the Church continue to cause severe pain and suffering for survivors, their families, and the faithful.”

“Consistent with our published policies, we will continue to cooperate with civil authorities in investigating all allegations of abuse,” Zapor said. “We remain fully committed to our ongoing efforts, which span decades, to keep children safe and to bring healing to those harmed.”

In an email, Robert Krebs, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Wilmington, said it received a subpoena more than four years ago from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, provided all requested information and cooperated with the investigation.

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Krebs said the diocese made all of its files related to sexual abuse public in 2012 as part of a non-monetary bankruptcy settlement agreement with survivors.

Brown took office on Jan. 3. He previously served as lieutenant governor and represented Maryland’s 4th Congressional District encompassing parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties from 2017-2023.

dylan.segelbaum@thebaltimorebanner.com

Dylan Segelbaum

dylan.segelbaum@thebaltimorebanner.com