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Trumped Up Charges: Father Rutler Cleared

After a seven-month probe, a Manhattan District Attorney has thrown out allegations of "assault" levelled against well-known Father George Rutler, a former Anglican parson, parish-priest and publicist.

The attorney considered the allegations baseless, according to journalists and parishioners writing on Twitter (May 28). Ashley Gonzalez, a female security guard of Rutler's parish, had accused him in November 2020 of an "attempted rape."

From the beginning it was clear that these claims were bogus. Involving police in the matter served mainly as an excuse to publish a video produced by Gonzalez allegedly showing Father Rutler from the back watching homosexual porn in order to destroy his reputation.
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John A Cassani

This is certainly good news. When will the Archdiocese of New York act on it? Chanceries are famous for letting innocent priests rot on the vine. Rutler likely has the means and connections to make sure his rights are respected. What of all the others who don’t?

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Tree

If people are innocent until proven guilty, no exoneration is needed. Unless you have a different standard.

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Ultraviolet

No charges were filed against Ms. Gonzalez for illegally recording Fr. Rutler, either. That wasn't a baseless allegation at all and her "evidence" actually counted against her as evidence.

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Wayside Shrine Maker

Another possibility that some expert mentioned was that the video could have been altered to change the screen on his computer to show porn when he was not watching it. But I agree the guy in the video looked different than Fr. Rutler. Anyhow it is very good news indeed.

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123jussi

Very relieved!

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Tesa

Responsible Catholic journalists insisted on the presumption of innocence. Dawn Goldstein didn't. She presumed Rutler's guilt. She should apologize, swiftly, unequivocally. She called the accuser a "victim"

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Ultraviolet

...and like so many critics she'll do no such thing. She'll tip-toe away from her accusation, and repeat the same one against another innocent priest as though her last one hadn't been discredited.

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G.K.Chesterton

I would make a law by which an editor, proved to have published false news without reasonable verification, should simply go to prison.

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