Wednesday, May 28, 2008
FAULTY MEMORY SYNDROME IN CLEVELAND
From MyFox Cleveland:
Smith's former boss, Father John Wright, testified that he authorized a one time, lump sum payment of about $250,000 to keep Smith from pursuing other jobs. Wright says that was the only money he authorized.
But Smith's attorney, Phil Kushner, sought to show that Father Wright's memory was fuzzy. Father Wright says he thought he signed a blank check on behalf of the diocese that he assumed would be made out for $250,000 and would me made out to Smith, but no such check has ever been found.
Father Wright also acknowledged that signatures on documents showing an account set up for Smith looked like his writing. But Father Wright said he couldn't remember signing those documents.
Father Wright's $250,000 payment was kept secret from Bishop Anthony Pilla for eight years.
When Wright finally told Pilla in 2004, Kushner asked, "Did you tell... Bishop (Pilla) that you had signed a blank check?"
Father Wright replied: "I don't know that I said it in those words...."
I am so convinced they are lying again. As long as I believe they are lying, the contributions will be sent elsewhere.
