BANGOR, Maine — For organizations and people he was associated with, the Rev. Robert Carlson’s suicide one year ago pulled back the curtain of silence surrounding the issue of child sexual abuse by people in power.
While these organizations deny knowing about Carlson’s aberrant behavior, they now say they’ve changed policies and practices after a Maine State Police report revealed abuse going back decades.
Discussing Carlson’s sexual abuse of children was the first step in healing for the East Orrington Congregational Church, where Carlson was a senior pastor for 25 years, and for Penobscot Community Health Care, where he served as president for several years before his death.
Both did internal reviews of Carlson’s role in their organizations, and each has made adjustments to policies that are designed to catch perpetrators and protect society’s most vulnerable citizens.
“We will not forget the damage that was done from no one knowing,” the Rev. Carl Schreiber, pastor of the East Orrington Congregational Church, said Friday. “We have taken a lot of measures to make people aware and make sure there [are] safety precautions in place, especially for our children.”
Carlson, a well-known and gregarious religious and civic leader, committed suicide on Nov. 13, 2011, after learning he was under investigation for sexually abusing a boy.
Carlson, who jumped to his death from the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, had abused children as far back as 36 years before his death, the heavily redacted 104-page state police report concluded.
The investigation into Carlson’s suicide, conducted by the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department, revealed that Penobscot County Sheriff Glenn Ross, a longtime friend, told Carlson about the investigation and the last person to see Carlson alive was one of his victims — a boy of just 11 when they met. The man is now 53.
Carlson helped found and was president of PCHC. He also was a founder of Hope House, a Bangor shelter for those with drug and alcohol addiction; a former chaplain for Husson College (now Husson University), as well as the Bangor and Brewer police and fire departments; an instructor at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy; and a former jail administrator for the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.
“As a result of the tragic accusations surrounding Carlson, although none of them involved PCHC in any way, PCHC is now conducting even more comprehensive background checks on nonmedical staff,” Kenneth Schmidt, PCHC’s chief executive officer, said Friday. “We continue to provide comprehensive training on mandatory reporting — recognizing child abuse and reporting suspected child abuse.”
Husson officials also did an internal review of Carlson’s role there and changed its hiring policies, university spokeswoman Julie Green said Thursday. Carlson was a part-time chaplain for the school until 2008, when he was confronted by then-Husson president William Beardsley, who called him into his office to discuss vague reports of “a sexual relationship,” the state police report said. Carlson resigned.
Beardsley, who was appointed to the state Board of Education in September, also told state police that he got a call in 2005 from a minister friend in Vermont who said, “Bob Carlson was not who he appeared to be.” The friend warned Beardsley to keep an eye on the volunteer chaplain, who at the time worked with the Husson football team.
“He was a part-time chaplain and made like $1,000 a year and we did not do background checks,” Green said Thursday. “Before, we only did them for teachers. Now, we do background checks on everyone.”
While some changes have been made by the agencies associated with Carlson, the sister of one of his victims said a cloud of conspiracy still remains because of Carlson’s position in the community.
“I don’t think anything has come out of this to protect our children in the future from other pedophiles,” she said. “People have been too interested in covering their asses.”
More work needs to be done on recognizing signs of child sexual abuse, Bangor City Councilor Joe Baldacci said Thursday. He said the state’s mandatory reporting law should be reviewed and possibly revised in order to give it some real teeth.
“I think it’s important to continue to have this discussion,” Baldacci said. “I know it’s a painful discussion. We’re not a big town, and it’s painful, but we have to continue to discuss it. We don’t want this pain to be repeated.”
The statute, first passed in 1965 and amended several times since then, requires 32 different categories of professions — including doctors, school officials and law enforcement officers — to immediately report any suspected child abuse to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
That could include the former president of Husson University, a Penobscot County sheriff’s deputy and detectives, a Bangor police officer and a therapist who treated some of Carlson’s victims, all of whom said in the state police report that they had either received information about or witnessed Carlson engage in criminal or inappropriate sexual behavior.
R. Christopher Almy, district attorney for Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, said shortly after the state police report was issued that the statute was not clear about whether a mandatory reporter could be prosecuted for not reporting abuse.
“The DA declined to do anything because there is no mandatory reporting strategy,” said Baldacci, a lawyer. “Strengthening the mandatory reporting law and probably adding some mandatory training is needed. There is a whole mindset that has to be affected.”
One thing the community has learned from the death of Carlson, Almy said, is “not to assume that a person’s position in the community gives them a corner on legal and moral behavior. Don’t assume that a person could or could not commit an offense based on their reputation.”
The prosecutor said he believes “the community is more aware” of the problem now but that the culture of silence regarding the sexual abuse of children remains.
Oh Bill, you’re very lucky. You should be prosecuted just like the administration was in the Sandusky/Penn State case. Although I am somewhat sick of hearing about this case, I am glad that they have mentioned it so that people are reminded of your crime of omission. You should buy a Megabucks ticket!
I don’t think anything will change. PCHC goal is to make money. They don’t care how its done, or how many providers they abuse the bottom line is “money” I know people at PCHC that was suspicious about Carlson. And if anyone at PCHC would of talked they would be fired.
It’s been a year since Bob jumped to hid death and the BDN still calls him Rev. Robert Carlson,Sad.
Delete to make posters happy
“i still believe he did not do this,” sarcasm, right???
Deleted
Here lies the truth! Carlson in fact was not a Reverend and never recieved any degree!
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/01/13/news/bangor/rev-bob-carlson-likely-his-exaggerated-credentials/
His whole life was a lie. As hard as it is to believe this man was a pedophile it is the truth.
Please don’t perpetuate his crimes by refusing to acknowledge what he really was. After the children he has hurt and the trust he has destroyed you think he’s resting in peace? If somehow that gives you some sort of closure then go right ahead fooling yourself.
Right on. Just as phony as Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackson.
Jim & Tammy Faye. Pick one. All from the same trash bucket.
Lie, cheat, plagiarize, steal, molest……you pick one.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_martin_luther_king.htm
You shouldn’t put Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackson in the same trash bucket category as Carlson or the Faye’s for that fact. MLK and Jessie Jackson has done so much for society with civil rights. These two are not trash and I resent the fact that you think they are!
Do a little research. King was a liar a cheat, and plagiarized his way through school.
Jackson never finished his degree, it was just given to him. Fathered a child out of wedlock
then lied about it for some time. He was kicked out of the SCLC. Even King’s people knew
he was a liar. You think the end justifies the means? Good for you. I don’t. I don’t associate
with liars, thieves, or any other felons.
I’m so glad that you, and everyone you associate with, is perfect.
I’ve never met anyone who was perfect. Where can these perfect people be found?
I am unaware if there were any actual credentials of Jim and Tammy Fay Baker other than they were evangelists? Jim Baker still is a televangelist but on a smaller scale than he previously was since being released from prison. But the two of them shattered the beliefs and trust of their followers, so yes, they were very much like Robert Carlson. The Reverend Jesse Jackson and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr do not belong in “the trash bucket” and are both actual Baptist ministers. There was nothing phoney about Rev. King and I say we truly lost a great man when he was assassinated. I have nothing negative personally to say about Rev. Jackson although I realize some people have other negative thoughts about him. I think that even though he may say or do some things that people may not agree with he is good in his heart.
Well I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this one. I suppose it could be said that
even the worst of criminals have, at some point, done good deeds. Family & friends will say
so anyway. Perhaps you don’t want to know the truth but one minute of research will reveal
that Marching Luther King ( his REAL name is Michael) was a fraud, a cheater and plagiarized
his way through school. As for Jesse he is just a trouble maker. And his dirtbag son, Jesse Jr.
is right now scamming the people of Illinois with his feigned illness and screwing the system.
He should be in jail with Rod Blogo for trying to buy O’Bama’s senate seat. Ah yes…..the apple doesn’t fall far does it. ;+)
Hate much?
Why try to drag the Race Card into this? For real, pally most of us are commenting about apples and here you are dragging in bags of cement. If you gotta work that hard to justify a personal hatred of non-Whites, you’re already in rough shape. No comparison between MLK and this man, none, not kind of and not even implied. But go for the gusto, buddy rough, “Hate your next door neighbor, but don’t forget to say Grace.” LOL
MLKjr., one of my favorite Republicans.
We can only hope not…Personally I hope he is burning in hell if there is one..
I second that!
And if Im not mistaken it was proven he never was a Reverend.
You read my mind! He doesn’t deserve to be referred to az Rsversnd anymore!
This article is pathetic. We aren’t going to forget about this case and the litany of Carlson accomplishments has been done to death. It’d be a nice touch if you exposed the truth and the far-reaching implications at some point in time. And we do know that the BDN knows what the truth is. We are still hearing people saying that Bob was a good man. I guess if being a pedophile and a fraud makes one a good man, then I am in the wrong place.
of course the Bangor Daily News, the Maine State Police, Bangor Police, possibly FBI, other agencies and news outlets know the exact nature and implications of this monster. I met Bob Carlson as a student at NESCOM first during our opening/greeting to the college and had one conversation if I remember correctly with him when my father was in the hospital as I was seeking help. I took away from that experience that the pederast was a little off and never really took him seriously. He seemed very flamboyant to me to be a man of the cloth.
The thing that shocks me most about this case isn’t really that shocking at all if you understand the powerful part he played in people’s lives and the community. Much like the Penn State problem that occurred over the last year as well some will always say he was a “good man” for doing the things he did. In fact right before this story broke there were several articles in the BDN chronicling his “charity” which I now laugh at.
I think its time for the people, as I agree with you letsbehonestforonce, that hid his crimes, looked the other way, and anyone who still believes this guy was anything but bad to step down from public office, their presidency of the university and think real hard about what they could have done. No doubt Penn State was a bigger scandal by far – but generally the same vain. People should at the very least be fined. Sheriff Ross who personally told Carlson of the charges should be forced to resign for wrongdoing. But this is Maine, and I get that. Nothing ever changes.
Ever heard of the phrase “feet to the fire?” That’s what has to be done. In military terms: “Keep it up and push it up.”
Henry, thanks for sharing that. There’s a lot of truth to the concept that guys like this didn’t just turn into predators overnight — just woke up one morning and WHAM — they always were and nobody wanted to notice. I recall guys like this off and on through life — the wierdo that lurked around the neighborhood until we run him off, the priest who didn’t seem to hear a word people said unless one of them was a teenager, the little store owner that was far more interested in the younger customers than in selling anything.
The common thing I noticed was a ‘preoccupied’ state of mind, like never quite fully there in a conversation with other adults. Yeah, we all have spacey moments, but after a half-dozen conversations where Mr. X is definitely NOT in-tune, ya start to wonder… And not all of these guys are drooling tree-jumpers or Chester The Molester types — any person who manages to promote himself into the position of a local god really needs a second look.
The coach, the priest, the reverend, the scout master, the local big shot — not a one of them needs to be alone with kids all that often. In fact, I don’t know many adults who prefer hanging-out with teenagers and younger kids on a regular basis… Can’t figure out what they’re saying half the time — OMG, BBF, BRB, screech, giggle, quack, quack — and most think anybody over 25 is from a different planet.
Don’t know there’s a simple solution, but there are basics for us all. Basic reality checks are a good start — constant contact with other adults, having adult friends and a rational social life.
so well stated.
As usual, it wasn’t the nature of the ‘crime’ but the cover-up.
Whether the President of PSU, the A.D. or Asst. District Attorney, it was the cover-up and the ‘protect the institution at all costs’ mentality which was at fault.
Now we have it with the CIA and STATE DEPT and the FBI, and the Black cloud of disbelief coming from the denials coming from the White House that they ‘didn’t know a thing about an FBI investigation of the head of the CIA or triggered it?
And yes, ‘good people’ do bad things, society is filled with them; and as usual it’s the Liberals who believe the ‘best’ about them and accept their explanations when questions are raised.
My pals Father used to say “A liberal is just a conservative who hasn’t been mugged yet.” Felt, it’s too simple to toss a blanket generalization over a whole group of people who choose to call themselves ‘Liberal” and dislike them from there.
The molestation of children has nothing at all to do with either “liberals” or “conservatives.”
And how do you connect the Carlson case with Petraeus? That’s quite a stretch.
The FBI didn’t notify the White House about the Petraeus investigation until they were sure about their investigation. That’s the way it’s done because: 1) you don’t want to make accusations until you have the facts, and 2) you don’t want any pressure from the White House about how the investigation should be done. So you don’t tell them until you have something solid.
So yes, of course, until the FBI told the White House about the investigation, the White House didn’t know.
That’s a good point, why is Sheriff Ross still employed??
Clearly we can’t look to him to protect the youth if the suspect is a “friend”.
Reading about sexual abuse at Maine State prison 9.9 % abused 5.9% by inmates that leave 4% abused by staff . Well one would thin thier are more inmates than staff . Who are the real criminals????? Mass cover up? Seem like a member of staff would be a higher risk that an inmate to abuse people. I always thought inmates were the lowest of the low. Maybe just some people are much more likely to get caught …..
You really are stretching the truth. The “abuse” has been described as something as
a word or phrase that “may” have offeneded someone even if they just overheard it.
Ridiculous. And we all know that prisoners would never lie or try and skew a survey.
I do agree with you to a point but it is something that should be looked into further. I do not this stuff dose happen . The number that were giving in the paper could have been wrong . I do know of a one that was caught red handed and let go . Latter sue for wrongful dismissal . Thier is cover up just to what extent is not known . I would bet some people would have lost thier jobs in the Carlson case for doing the right thing . How else could so many just turn a blind eye?
So if someone was a ‘victim’ of sexual ‘abuse’ in prison; what exactly is the lasting nature of their suffering? Is it like PTSD or something else? What of Sandusky’s ‘victims’ who weren’t forced into shower sex, but seduced with tickets and favors? Why hasn’t the BDN reported on the nature of victimhood and whether the ‘punishment’ fits the ‘crime’, or is it worse? ….Obviously, I have my doubts esp. where the victims weren’t coerced, but willing participants, almost repeat victims.
Convince me otherwise.
Stretching the truth? Just going by what it said in the BDN.
That could have been your first mistake.
Agreed, Its a cut and paste rehash of past events. Boring and lazy.
The latest story on a “good” person who is really nothing more than a child molester is the creator of Elmo, Kevin Clash. The media will cover up for him because he too has done so much “good”.
How come an entertainment site came out with the story, where is our main street media? Oh that’s right like the BDN covering up for perverts http://www.tmz.com/
We do not value our youth so that is why we allow them to be taken advantage of.
BBC is in a free fall meltdown right now over the same things. This is a widespread global network full to the gills with pedophiles. It’s going to be exposed eventually — all of it.
That gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Tickle me, Elmo!”
You write of Kevin Clash, “The media will cover up for him…”
Yet we know about this because of the media.
Actually TMZ was the first to report on this, I read it on the Daily Mail(British newspaper) very slooooowly the American newspapers are starting to report on it. Don’t worry they’ll protect his reputation .
The real question is: What did we really learn?
That the guys friends, who covered for him got to keep their jobs? (In fact, one of them was promoted).
That the same social institutions that helped this guy hide in plain sight are unaffected and have taken no responsibility for their role with him?
That someone can evidently lie about their background, their educational experience, their professional credentials, their motivation for helping the less fortunate (at risk children, for example) and still be given positions of trust and authority?
That the Bangor Daily News will continue to refer to someone as “Reverend” even after it has been clearly established that the person was nothing more than a liar, who lacked the education and experience required to hold the title legitimately.
The thing I’ve really learned from this whole mess is that this guy was a creep of the highest order.
What did we learn ??
Perhaps that evil still hides behind ” The Collar”.
And the worst part is that the supposedly responsible
parties and agencies we trust to keep these dark doings
under control and shed light on these matters is no better
than the evildoers themselves.
Coverups, collusion,misinformation and outright lies
have beat us all down.
And it all starts on the front page of our beloved BDN with its
outrageous continuation of the falsehoods perpetuated by
an evil man ” Reverend Carlson”.
Most churches now have a system of background checks in place, and workshops on how to maintain safe churches, largely because of scandals like this one and others.
It only takes a few people like Carlson (and a small percentage of Catholic priests and Protestant pastors) to give a bad name to the many who are doing a good job.
But it seems that there are many more that will cover it up and rearrange
things to hide the truth of these few bad apples.
Thats the worst part.
Many churches might, indeed, have a system in place, BUT what about the ones that don’t start first w/checking their own often self-appointed preachers? Since the mid 1970s, Maine has had an influx of fundamental/evangelical diploma mill “preachers” who are nothing but Carlson clones who have yet to be revealed.
So how does the BDN screen out pedophiles when hiring reporters and columnists? How many sex offenders work for them now? Or like PSU’s iconic football program is the BND and MPN above suspicion and critical oversight?
I never knew Carlson and nor would I want to but I said last year when this happened that you just never know! Oh hes such a good man he wouldnt do this he wouldnt jump someone must of been there with him and pushed him blah blah. I feel sorry for all the people he molested and glad that they feel they can tell their story. As for the ones who say he was such a nice man WAKE UP this man obviously had a good cover up and for years! Lying about his education and everything! This article is pathetic as you say *letsbehonestforonce* I totally agree with you if I could use foul wording here I would :)
Give us more information BDN. Let the cat out of the bag. Dateline would love this story.
The public also has no idea how many victims there are. Was there one victim or many? The BDN, as well as any LE officer knows who one of the victims is but there could be many more.
The real prominent people in Bangor that get caught being pedophiles seem to have a pattern of suicide. If someone lives at the hope house or in a very nice neighborhood like say West Broadway there are still many sickos in our community and they need to be fully exposed even if it hurts. The victims deserve to read about their abusers getting what is coming their way and it should start with public humiliation and lack of all respect.
well years ago a girl that worked for me see the 16 year old son of the paster of a church on top of a 6 year old girl going at her ,she screamed he got off her and ran it was reported to people in the church and it was covered up.when I mentioned it to the police they said i was 3rd person info and they couldn’t do anything.so this is not news to me of how people handle these scumbags.the person in question lives down south now and has 2 daughters of his own,I feel sorry for them.
Talk about sweeping something under the rug. You weren’t?? never mind………
That could include the former president of Husson University, a Penobscot County sheriff’s deputy and detectives, a Bangor police officer and a therapist who treated some of Carlson’s victims, all of whom said in the state police report that they had either received information about or witnessed Carlson engage in criminal or inappropriate sexual behavior…….we all know who these people are and they should be held accountable for their roles in this horrible crime which many will have to carry with them their entire lives.
The therapist should lose their license and not be allowed to practice again. The patient who reported it to the therapist that did not report could exact tremendous penalties against the therapist for malpractice in a court of law.
Part of the continuing problem with learning lessons from this is from recieving mixed messages from the media. BDN headlines the article by once again placing Rev. in front of the pedophiles name thus giving him a title of respect. He charmed and fooled this community by using his ‘title’ on people and their faith of God while harming the innocence of children whom he’d been entrusted with.
That was a wholly selfish and perverse act done by a person with no morality or concern for anyone other than himself!
Please Bangor Daily, stop disrespecting the word Reverend when referring to Robert Carlson! We all know his name without the title in front of it.
I haven’t seen any real changes except to make it more difficult to prosecute the people who didn’t act when they had the opportunity to do so. I only hope that when they close their eyes at night they think about the children who could have been spared if they had done the moral, ethical thing. Their illustrious careers certainly don’t shine quite as much as they did. I hope they recognize the magnitude of the damage left behind.
They will when it happens to their children. Their children are more special than other people’s children. We all have seen that attitude in this area. And I don’t even have to say anyone’s name. We all know. And we can see it plain as day.
This was covered up in part of the upcoming election .Nothing to see here move along.Just like Gorham school was so under reported.Keep up the censorship for gain the new president has shown the way.
I don’t think that it had anything to do with an upcoming election. I think it has more to do with local authority and other community members trying to save their own butts on this one.
I am sick of this story…people in power covered this thing up as he was a media darling and an ” elite” who was on every board and took every opportunity for the spotlight to create the ” image” he did. The fact of the matter is the people that really do good work for others do it when nobody is looking and they are not out for the attention. Those are the people who should be a role model, not this person or anyone associated with him that knew more and did nothing..
Yes, those that distance themselves from scandals and give themselves awards with a big smile on their faces because they believe they are untouchable.
Very well put. I couldnt agree with you more.
Almy said, is “not to assume that a person’s position in the community gives them a corner on legal and moral behavior. Don’t assume that a person could or could not commit an offense based on their reputation.”
You know some people have the uncanny ability to spot these creeps with very little physical evidence. If you have that “gut feeling” you are probably one of those people that are blessed
with that special 6th sense. Those that don’t have “it” can’t understand it. Follow your instincts.
“As far back as 36 years” he was abusing children. How could nobody see anything or at the very least have suspicion? Pitiful!
They saw. They knew. Many more were suspicious. They did nothing.
Exactly! The ol’ turn the other cheek and walk away.
And they have already excused themselves from what they failed to do when it would have made a difference in a child’s and a community’s life. In my opinion, coverups are despicable.
Usually as bad as, or worse than, the original “crime”. Monica comes to mind.
Watergate, but there are two dandies coming down the pike.
Patreaus & Benghazi should be real interesting. I bet we’ll find out someday
that Barry Soetero is a huge liar too. Shouldn’t be much longer. ;+)
This page is about Bob and his reprehensible behavior. Why delute it with partisian politics.
It is hard to believe that it has been a whole year since this story first broke. It seems that some good may come of it. But the damage was still done by a supposed pillar of the community.
Why is this man worth mentioning & why does he have the title Rev before his name???? How insulting to churches & their leaders. He was a sham & he took the cowards way out. Why bring his picture & name into the news & drag the pain on for his victims & his family. Lessons learned???? You can’t trust anyone & that is sad.
I would like to see the media, law enforcement community, and everyone else stop using words like “aberrant” and “inappropriate” behavior. The word is “criminal.”
First off this Monster who was allowed to run wild in our community for far too long is no more a Rev. then the large rock at the end of my drive-way is. For the BDN to constantly refer to him as such is an insult not only to his victims but to our community as well. Secondly the fact that no one has been held accountable for enabling his Monsterous activities is an additional insult to our community. Okay let us assume for a moment that DA Almy is correct and the manditory reporter law fails to provide penalties for failure to report. Why haven’t any of our elected officials called for enactment of a law that provides penalities for not reporting. The Governor bragged to his drinking buddies that he was going to call a special session of the legislature to pass some “secret” law, an act he claimed would really upset Democrats. If he could call a special session just to upset his political opponents why not call one to protect children. Speaking of the Governor, he had a member of his cabinet, Bill Beardsley, who was one of the “manditory reporters” who failed to report. When Beardsley’s department was made part of another department and his position as Commissioner disolved why did LePage appoint him to the State Board of Education? That could hardly be taken as punishment for failing to observe the law. Great job Mr. LePage. We have two police officers who claimed they had suspecions about Carlson’s behavior, they even went as far as talking about installing video cameras to observe a parking lot, yet when it was found that the area Carlson always parked was too dark for cameras to function let everything drop. Thanks a lot Tim Reed and Bob Welch. Finally we have the top law enforcement officer in Penobscot County , Sheriff Glen Ross, who was a long time friend of Carlson’s. What did he do when State Police Detectives informed him about Carlson being under investigation and requested that he not tell Carlson, which he agreed to do? Almost immediately he turned himself into a “Pedophile Early Warning System” (PEWS) and told Carlson. Oh he offered a lame excuse about Carlson having access to the jail, but as Sheriff all he had to do was recind Carlson’s access and not give any reason. The list of Carlson’s enablers reads like a “Who’s, who” in the Bangor area, Community leaders, Politicians, Law Enforcement Officers and Professional People. Anyone that thinks Carlson was the only pedophile in the Bangor area is insane. The first sentence in this article claims that the curtain of silence concerning sexual abuse of children by people in power has been pulled back. Really Ms. Ricker? It looks to me as if it has been drawn tighter.
It’s sick! Someone should start a Facebook page where people can continue these conversations because we all know it’s just a matter of time before bdn will disable the comments section.
Crossed that bridge a couple times this summer. That’s quite a drop.
Yes and Carlson’s official cause of death: drowning.
From a fall like that you would think he would have been dead on Impact.
From a fall like that you would think he would have been dead on Impact.
Here is the real question, and I can’t believe the reporter, who has written numerous articles on this case, hasn’t asked it yet. When you go back to the article the BDN did when he first jumped off the bridge, they called Glenn Ross for a quote. Now, by this point, Ross knew that his friend was under investigation for sexual abuse. Ross could have said anything, such as “I’m too upset to comment.” Instead, he sings his praises! Ross claims he’s “shocked,” over his suicide, all the while knowing why he jumped. Man, this guy is shady!
“The DA declined to do anything because there is no mandatory reporting strategy,” said Baldacci, a lawyer. “Strengthening the mandatory reporting law and probably adding some mandatory training is needed. There is a whole mindset that has to be affected.”
Try and remember and keep in mind that this is the same DA that makes plea deals with child molester after child molester, murderer after murderer and criminal after criminal. He doesnt care about the victims, or about the length of prison time these people serve, he is only affected by the outcome and whether it will pad his winning percentage. He doesnt charge anyone here because he might have to actually work for his paycheck and take a chance on losing, but he sends a strong message to the citizens of Penobscot County and all of Maine that you dont matter, and neither does your actions.
The one things I learned from this case, is you can’t even depend on those who are responsible for protecting our community from mosters like Carlson to do so. And then their not held responsible for turning a blind eye. Disgraceful.
Discussing Carlson’s sexual abuse of children was the first step in healing for the East Orrington Congregational Church, where Carlson was a senior pastor for 25 years, and for Penobscot Community Health Care, where he served as president for several years before his death.
How in the world does and entire congregation of God fearing people and religious minds, NOT, see this in 25 years? There had to be signs, there had to be many instances where Carlson was alone with children. Did he ever hold Sunday School classes? How did the fellow pastors never see this? You have to wonder if this is a trait learned in the church if so many priests, ministers, rabis and such can be intertwined with this type of criminal behavior. Obviously, Carlson was not the first, yet we know he was one of the best known in the state of Maine. If you truly are the word of god, and you knew this type of stuff, or even considered that this might be going on, then, how in the world can you live with yourself knowing you didnt say anything. There should have been a lot of soul searching since this came out.
I feel terribly sad for the abused children in all of this, i too was abused as a child and it made me go in a very self destructive direction as a young adult. the thing that got me the worst was a person whom i looked up to tell me how bad i was for the way i treated my uncle. I wanted so bad to tell that person what my uncle did to me,but i just sat there and kept the humility to myself. bad part was i now had two sides against me, the humility to sit and be degraded by a person i admired and one the otherhand degraded by another person i admired. hence mentally no place to go but down. I tell you all to get the children therapy asap. i was 33 years old before i faced my demons in therapy, but thank god i did. P. S. I’ts only because of therapy that i have been able to discuss it at all.
Good on you. I’m happy you are getting better. You are a brave person for speaking out.
I hope some body asks PCHC how many times they instructed their employees not to talk to the press about this? Maybe they could ask how many times
Mr. Carlson was seen on the PCHC Campus with the now 53 year old man?
There are many stones left unturned…
PCHC was very paranoid with it’s staff. All emails were monitered. If you have a complaint you could not post it on a message board for everyone to see, it had to be handled in a private message. PCHC did everything in their power to make sure staff does not talk to staff.
There seems to be way too much secrecy there. Yet I know of someone who was a patient there and who called one day with a severe ear ache (and thus spoke louder than usual.) The head of the switchboard there reamed out this patient for “yelling at my girls on the phone.” She even made a call to the patient at her home about this. This patient was in severe pain. They showed no understanding nor tolerance in this instance and so many others. Yet, they aided and abetted with this monster Carlson! What does that say?!
So scary to think of what could be below the surface, just reading “the tragic accusations surrounding Carlson, although none of them involved PCHC in any way” makes me cringe and go, “How can Ken say that?” Doesn’t seem like a good combination at all.. Carlson founding a shelter for sex offenders, kinda like having the fox babysit the chickens. I highly recommend reading the “heavily redacted” police report and I wish for the truth to keep coming out about how this was able to go on in our trusted law enforcement, education and health care facilities. It’s astounding how this man was allowed to be in the position he continued to be in… with the support of LePage, Collins and all to the bitter end. How many others are like that? Somebody please just be straight and tell the readers what happened at city hall! http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/link/full-police-report-on-the-investigation-into-the-rev-bob-carlson/
He never had the support of LePage. If you remember it was LePage’s office which handed the anonymous letter to the Maine State Police. LePage did not pal around with this man. Baldacci, however was a “dear friend,” (Bob’s words in his letter to the editor in the BDN April 24, 2011. He was frequently at events with the governor, especially walking together at the Veteran’s Day Parade. If you go back to the BDN reports just after Bob’s suicide you can read the comments by our lovely “community leaders” such as the Baldacci brothers, Shawn Yardley, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and Sister Noberta, all raving about what a great man he was. These people have yet to issue an apology for their poor judgement. Do not say this man had the support of LePage because he never did.
http://www.kjonline.com/news/bill-beardsley-given-vote-of-confidence_2012-08-03.html
Like the quote from the article… it’s all about ass-covering, not protection of innocents or justice for victims. http://www.pressherald.com/news/husson-let-chaplain-join-events-after-he-quit_2012-08-07.html
People like to think the best of other people. Carlson was a liar, a sneak, a minipulator, and a salesman. He was VERY GOOD at what he did.
People don’t like to recognize this, but having lived in many places I see, the fact that Bangor has been a relatively innocent city. People like the idea that there are folks out there who do on a daily basis, what they imagine Jesus might do under similar circumstances.
Many people might think it unwise to try to help sex offenders, but in Jesus time people would have felt the same way about lepers.
one more time for emphasis. please ask ken schmidt why pchc employees were instructed not to speak about this matter. by the way, what company has the right to tell people who they can speak to.
A company with the city in the palm of it’s hands.
Unfortunately; Any company where you want to keep your job.
Who cares how it happened he’s where he can’t hurt anyone.
Two sentences from this article stand out to me:
1. “We will not forget the damage that was done from no one knowing,” the Rev. Carl Schreiber, pastor of the East Orrington Congregational Church, said Friday.
2. “I don’t think anything has come out of this to protect our children in the future from other pedophiles,” she said. “People have been too interested in covering their asses.”
Those two sentences pretty much cover it for me. Carl Schreiber may not have known, but plenty of other people did.
Those stood out for me as well.
The alarming and tragic part is people did know, people in high positions of power… and they said nothing. Suspicious enough to see the “rev” bringing young boys into the JAIL late night hours, but to see him actually making physical contact with the child in a criminal way… absolutely unacceptable. That’s just one person who saw something totally reportable. Makes me sick!
That’s my point. Many people knew it, and people (people who had no power at all) also reported things. When he was at the jail, people were even more willing to look the other way because at the time, that’s what one did on a regular basis.
It makes me sick too. I can only hope that the man (who by most accounts is a train wreck emotionally – and now we know why) will eventually be able to see that he had no control over what that monster did to him.
Why are people so intimidated by titles? Doctors, Police Officer, Reverend, Teacher, Judge, Manager… A title is nothing more than a job description. It doesn’t describe the person behind it. If they can’t live up to the standard of their title, they aren’t worthy of it and need to be exposed. A title doesn’t equal power. Is it truly the title we need to respect, or the person carrying it? Its not the title abusing the child. Its the person behind it. People need to stop feeling intimidated by titles and teach children likewise. Any child abuse needs reporting. If the person did no wrong, they have nothing to fear. Worse case scenery, they learn certain behavior is unacceptable and becomes questionable.
I hope times have changed a lot in the past 20 years . Was a time where it was not wise to report on a policeman. Some things you almost have to look the other way . Child abuse is not one of them.
Porter shot a fireman or drug dealer??
Why can’t this guy be more dead?
I sincerely believe that Mr. Carlson (yes I left out the Rev. because he wasn’t one) couldn’t have picked a more dramatic, selfish way to take himself out of this world. First he stains our kids and us with his lies and predator ways but then he has to stain our new bridge…forever it will be known as the bridge that a so called “Rev.” stopped his car (with music blaring) and thought he would be the biggest HAM looking to see if pigs really could fly.
they don’t
Come on, BDN. Tell is like it is. Carlson helped found Hope House, which also houses sex offenders! BANGOR IS THE SEX OFFENDER CAPITAL OF MAINE.
Carlson played the entire community for fools. Those poor sex offenders have a disability (snort!!)! They need us to feed and house them! (A better idea is to ship them all to an island and let them rot!)
Lesson to learn from this? Don’t ever leave your child with someone who wants to spend time alone with them – especially “a man of the cloth” or any other “trusted” community advocate.
BDN and State Police lets dig into what happened at City of Bangor in the spring of 2007 at city hall. Over 5 years nothing. We now what Carlson did. Lets find out the real story at city hall. City hall should come clean.They must be covering there backsides.
It is just incomprehensible that the BDN and others continue to refer to this horrible individual as Reverend. It is offensive and painful to many. He no more deserved that title than a snake. Maybe a snake deserved it more.
Yeah Cosmos012…imagine this! If you or I were to create a falsified I.D./credentials and acted as a BDN reporter for years in some town up north. And you or I became popular but then one day after hearing I would be under investigation for nasty things I killed myself by jumping off a bridge. Then it becomes known that I wasn’t a BDN’s reporter…
Do you think they would still use that title in my name? NEVER ! Stop trying to make the church look bad. They are victims just as much as the Bangor police department and other organizations are. Why don’t you use the title he had with the police department instead of the churches? I’d luv to hear that one !?!
Your post makes little sense to me. I said nothing about the “church”, that is your assumption only. I have made comments on PCHC here however and their “role”.
“Why don’t you use the title he had with the police department instead of the churches?” I have no idea what that was, nor do I understand your post.
I think he was agreeing with you
I found his post very confusing. “Stop trying to make the church look bad” . What??! It is Carlson who was evil and did himself in.
I think that he was saying that the BDN doesn’t mind using the title Rev. because the want to make church/religion look bad. I am not sure but that is what I got out of it. Not sure that here is any ill intent, but I to wish they would stop using the title. He does not deserve the title because of his actions and mosst likely didn’t not even earn it in the first place.
I don’t think that’s the editors’ reasoning. I think they are trying to separate Bob Carlson child molester from any other Bob Carlsons there are, thus the continued use of “the Reverend.” But the editors don’t get it — that “reverend” means “good,” “revered.”
You know the law Ryan. They can not call him “The child abuser” Bob Carlson, because he was never convicted of anything.
Sorry for the confusion…I didn’t write that post well. I was agreeing with you Cosmos. The whole second paragraph is talking to the BDN not you. I was just showing how things would be written differently if the leaf was turned.
As I sit here at the Bangor Airport about to head home, I again take sad joy in the fact that I do not live in the northern 11 counties of Maine (with the exception of the City of Bangor) as a result of news items like this one, and the drowning death of Caryl Baird in Sebec Lake on August 21, 2012 while in the presence of the person against whom she had a PFA order, and the deaths of Amy, Coty and Monica Lake on June 13, 2011 in Dexter, as well as a supposed drug death from 4 years ago near Bangor…along with 6 other cases of similar gnarliness since 1992 that 9 of us have become aware of and have researched deeply.
There are many exceptional law enforcement professionals and agencies in those counties (with a number of distinct exceptions), but when the additional ingredient of inept major crime (homicide) refusal to investigate and hapless or gutless prosecution occurs, every citizen should be gravely concerned.
“I don’t think anything has come out of this to protect our children in the future from other pedophiles,” she said. “People have been too interested in covering their asses.” —-We have seen largely only that in the cases of the deaths that we have researched, very sadly
It has never been proven that Mr. Carlson jumped voluntarily and with no assistance, but it has been summarily promulgated that he did. When investigators only assume “manner of death” in cases of seemingly “unaccompanied death” as occurred in this case and in the Baird case, murderers are never charged. It kinds of reminds us of the case of the somewhat “different” individual who was thrown off a Bangor bridge by 3 juveniles 10 or so years ago. But at least in that case there were the guts and the brains to undertake a Bangor homicide investigation, which never occurred in the Carlson or the Baird cases. It’s much easier and much less ethical for investigators to just “cover asses”.
Steven Lake’s guns were never sought or collected in defiance of the Judge’s order to do so, and not one authority up to and including the Governor and the Attorney General have taken any steps with guts and brains to make sure that such an error never occurs again. When it inevitably does, 9 of us will be back here with the full intention to humiliate all involved parties.
There is a very big carpet in the northern 11 counties of Maine under which seemingly most or perhaps all very difficult homicide cases are swept…again except in Bangor…the only place we would live in those 11 counties.
And the fact that no public correction or prosecution has occurred of those individuals who enabled Mr. Carlson to proceed with his criminal activities over more than 3 decades, of those individuals who left Steven Lake with his murder weapons, and of the circumstances (manner) of Ms. Baird’s drowning is a humiliating event for all of the people of Maine.
RIP Ralph Greenleaf.
And the lesson was what, again? That adults who put themselves in positions of authority and then arrange to spend too much time around teenage kids might be suspect? Yep, makes sense.
I don’t see the article as singing his praises, it reveals how many people were duped by a sociopath. It was a power game with him. There were some very intelligent people who should have paid attention and done the right thing. He bulldozed his way through life, making a fool of a lot of people and hurting many. I saw him at EMMC and I didn’t care for him, he was rude and arrogant.
Yes, the arrogance of a narcissist and sociopath.
What is really the point here. People talk about his death and question how he died. Nobody cares if he received a little push to go over the edge.
Its the destruction on the children’s life he left behind.
But I question who are the true perpetrators. The pedophile or all the ones who known about it and kept quiet? His co-workers? His neighbors? His friends? His Boss?…
Teachers and preachers u can’t trust them!!
Wow that is painting with a broad stroke.
I don’t trust anyone who makes lazy generalizations like you just did.
I was being pithy and forget that people here take things literally. These two professions have direct access to vulnerable children. Your garden variety child preditor molest the vulnerable and then uses the. Power of the position to shame them into silence. We all know the child the victim did nothing wrong but misplaced guilt and the institutions these pigs belong to have a history of silence and coverup. For the life of me how this Ross guy still has a job or is not in jail is beyond me.
Tougher mandatory reporter laws will not solve the problem. Nobody actually knows if anybody reported anything anyway. DHHS would not divulge that information due to confidentiality rules.
It is quite possible that DHHS got all kinds of reports and just screwed it all up.
The Bangor Daily still insists on calling him “good” with the false title of “the reverend.”
Good people don’t molest children.
Bill Beardsly Head of education now . That should be a crime in itself.
Ross is still Sheriff, now that should be a crime. Beardsley had said that he had heard Bob was gay. We all know you cannot say anything about being gay. He confronted Bob with what the phone caller said, and Bob resigned. He did more than many others did to include police officers, therapists, the Sheriff and his deputies, and numerous others who suspected something was wrong with this man (creep). You cannot believe that rumors of Bob’s behavior was not throughout police departments in this state.
Here’s a list of 225 accused clerics, a map of their assignments and the large group of their enablers: http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/spooks-fakers-false-spiritual-healers/
Don’t waste your time unless you want to look at Minnesota.
I’m still waiting for Chris Almy to explain why Glenn Ross isn’t facing charges for telling Carlson that he was under investigation. If I, or any other member of the public, had done this I’d have been arrested. This has nothing to do with the mandatory reporting law- it’s obstruction of justice and it’s absolute bulls**t that Ross hasn’t been made to answer for what he did.
Because it’s not a crime to tell someone he’s under investigation.
Ross didn’t commit a “crime.” Having said that, I think the public’s anger surrounding this probably has a lot more to do with what they consider to be Ross’ displaced loyalty to Carlson instead of the children who were victimized and to the public in general. If in fact Ross tipped Carlson off about the investigation, his moral obligation to the victims and his community took a back seat.
Unless the BDN wants to do the true investigative work that needs to be done on Carlson and the top dog men who allowed him to do his evil work – and there surely is a story there – I would ask that it stop with any more stories of him. It’s too painful.
But the pain would be worth it for the truth.
The BDN AND the “child protective establishment belong to the men (and they are still mostly men) who don’t like this stuff becoming public. BUT don’t be too hard on our local paper. The Discovery Network pulled a story on sexual abuse of children in the City of Omaha, and at Boystown, because heavy hitter members of congress did not want it to air.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW9_ulzXOMQ
beardsley is just as guilty,covering up the fact carlson was a child abuser and not even a pastor.they should arrest him for hiding a pedophile
i am sick of seeing his face in bdn also,stop showing this sick perverted man’s picture please
He was the devil in disguise…and what we should have learned from this horrific discovery is that there are many MORE out there like him. CON beasts hiding behind their imposter balderdash lives. WE must keep our eyes open when it comes to OUR children, never trust anyone!!
Why is Ms. Ricker still calling him “Rev.?” It is obvious from other reports that he was not, and that his entire background was a fraud.
Obviously, there are too many involved who want to keep things on the Q.T., but in the Zumba case, everything is appearing in print.
Right. Why in this case is the truth being stifled? Too much cover up here.
The hope none of the “accusations” involve PCHC… I always got creeped out when Carlson would say, “We treat the whole person, from head to toe, from psychiatry to podiatry — and oral care as well,” http://neach.communitycatalyst.org/states/me/news/penobscot-community-health-center-celebrates-dental-center-expansion
A title use might not be such a bad thing. Keeps us aware and connected how this was abuse of power within the church system.
” “I don’t think anything has come out of this to protect our children in
the future from other pedophiles,” she said. “People have been too
interested in covering their asses.”
I think her sentiment covers my feelings on this too.
“Rev. Bob: Con Artist by Day and Social Terrorist by Night?”
http://www.scribd.com/doc/111790451/Rev-Bob-Con-Man-by-Day-and-Social-Terrorist-by-Night
Pedophiles are not nice people. End of story. They try harder than everyone else to be liked because if people like you they are less likely to be suspicious or question your actions. They are manipulative monsters.
In 1980, I reported child aabuse, where I worked at the Bancroft North in Owl’s Head. I reported it directly to the Department of Human Services. The Department called My boss, Rosemary Biddle who was assistant director of the facility. Rosemary called me into her office and fired me. Then later that year, when D.H.S. questioned me in front of Ms Biddle, and the Cabin Supervisor, they referred to me as a disgrunteled former empolyee. The real funny part was that D.H.S. bought this line, and terminated the investigation. After I was fired, two children were raped by staff members, three staff members were kidnapped by another Staff member, and finally, three years after my discharge, the place closed down voluntarily.
All this was reported in the Bangor Daily News, but every time I went for employment in human service work, my “background check” revealed that I was not “a team player” I had ratted out a former employer. Pardon me if I remain a bit cynical about new tougher rules..
Oh, yeah, what happened to the raped children? One of them is homeless in Portland The man who raped him was never charged with the rape, BUT he is now in jail for killing his exwife. The boy who never got treatment for his assault is angry and occasionally when that anger surfaces he goes to jail. He’s now 44. The other boy died of Aids in 1992. The man who repeatedly raped him was never charged with anything, although the administration was aware of the assaults.
I fully understand why no one involved with Bob Carlson wanted to rock the boat.
Unfortunately, this happens all too often and it is showing up now because of the Carlson case and those involved in the cover up. You would think that of all places, DHS would investigate any and all allegations including their own employees. I still believe that the whole DHS program and its employees need an overhaul!
Such a sad and discouraging story you wrote here – people really need to know that this does go on and this case is not an isolation one! Thank you for sharing and informing us of how corrupt this program really is on the inside.
I am so sorry this happened to you. I hope you were finally able to find employment and move on. Unfortunately, it appears the victims of this travesty weren’t able to. How tragic! My thoughts and prayers are with you and the victims.
No, actually I never worked in this field again. I’m in good shape however. I got a real job. They did me a favor.
The two people who suffered through being sexually assaulted, and discarded by society can probably use your prayers. They never “moved on.”
I’m glad you landed on your feet and you can rest assured the victims will remain in my prayers. I hope I didn’t give you offense when I asked if you had been able to “move on”? I meant it as a positive effort. Not a dismissal.
The BDN still insists on call Carlson the “Reverend”. They still bestow on him a title that was fraudulent from the beginning. The word “Reverend” implies great honor, one to be ‘Revered’, thus the word ‘Reverend’. He never should be called by that title–it is a disgrace.
They should come up with a different title so not to confuse him with another Carlson…
Hey BDN,
STOP calling this cretin a Reverend.
He had no credentials as such.
http://www.themonastery.org/ Is there a difference between ‘minister’ and ‘reverend’? When I saw this last year I wanted to know why the officer gave the guy a heads-up, and I still don’t know….
Get over it. The Reverend Al Sharpton was called “Reverend” from the time he was 12.
No credentials necessary for that title, since church and State are seperate.
I find it funny that more people are upset about the BDN calling him “reverend” than are upset that the BDN does not plan to persue this any further than Carlson. Remember the Lawrence case?? If not ask Shawn Yardley about it… He remembers.
I resent the Rev. before his name–the man was an impostor of the worse kind!!!! I believe that all that had been so called “warned”, should be brought to task for keeping all quiet.
I’m curious. What ‘test’ do you give an applicant to see if they are sexually aroused by an underage person of either sex? And what if they are, have they committed a crime? Many people harbor these urges and satisfy them in different ways. We now have another revelation about one of the key Sesame Street characters created by a gay male and involving a 16 yr. old.
Would ‘ELMO’ be able to past the test?
That is still all speculation at this point. This 16 year old waited years to report this. Again, being gay doesn’t equal pedophile…
WHY DOES BDN INSIST ON CALLING HIM REVEREND?HE WAS NEVER A REVEREND AND ITS AN INSULT TO HONOR SOMEONE WHO DID WHAT HE DID.
The Penobscot Narrows Shuffle>>>>>>>>>>>
You should have a picture of Sheriff Ross in here for blowing the case wide open. By telling Carlson that details. If you think about it Carlson jumping saved the state alot of money. Maybe the reporter of this story could find out what happened at the city and why it was covered up.
Listen to abused children
This is extremely hard for me, but I think the only way forward for those who have been abused to begin to heal is to share their stories. Mine happened years ago at the hands of my grandfather, when I was 8. My parents refused to believe what happened. They told me he was a saint and punished me with a beating.
I got older and suppressed what happened, excelled at my studies and pursued a medical degree. I married, moved to Maine and had a successful gynecologist practice in Northport. Then we were blessed with our son, David. After my husband was diagnosed with cancer, I began to remember pieces of what my grandfather did. The sexual abuse memories changed my personality and made me unbearable to be around. I lost my son to the Department of Health and Human Services because it didn’t understand my behavior. At my wits’ end, I tried to jump off the Belfast bridge. The recent case in Maine involving a “cherished” priest who committed horrible crimes reminded me what I went through. My grandfather didn’t stop with me because he got away with being a “saint” in the eyes of my relatives. This priest didn’t stop, yet people knew. I don’t want this to happen to others. Services for children need to be expanded, so others don’t fall into the abyss of a living hell. I fear I’ll never again be whole and never see my son. Eleanor B. HandlerNorthpor
I’m not going to hit “like” thank you for sharing your story. I’m sorry this happened to you. This abuse needs to stop. These people arn’t saints and adults need to start listening when kids say they are being abused. Never say never. You don’t know what tomorrow brings, lets pray that you will feel whole again and you will see your son. There is always a fork in the road.
We learned he was the clergy for the Go After Youth Sexually organization
THE MANDATORY REPORTING LAW CLEARLY STATES A MANDATED REPORTER FACES PROSECUTION FOR NOT REPORTING SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE!
That’s always been IN the LAW, along with immunity for ‘good faith’ reporting by the reporter. Professionals HAVE to BY LAW report ANY SUSPECTED child abuse to DHHS.. ongoing or past.
The DA in this county has (to my knowledge) NEVER prosecuted ANY case of ‘Failure to Report’ by required professionals.
The DA’s Office can do the shuffle about “unclear”.. esp. re: statues of limitations, etc. The REAL reason is that he would be prosecuting PROFESSIONALS… though most likely under a civil misdemour.
REALLY SAD. Children kept at risk so some professional won’t be slightly uncomfortable for violating a safe guard for children.
Easier to IGNORE than prosecute a (albeit misdemour charge) against—–
From Above Article:”could include the former president of Husson University, a Penobscot County sheriff’s deputy and detectives, a Bangor police officer and a therapist who treated some of Carlson’s victims, all of whom said in the state police report that they had either received information about or witnessed Carlson engage in criminal or inappropriate sexual behavior.R. Christopher Almy, district attorney for Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, said shortly after the state police report was issued that the statute was not clear about whether a mandatory reporter could be prosecuted for not reporting abuse.”
For those that want to know what’s really going on in this country regarding pedophiles in high places, please read Nick Bryant’s book The Franklin Scandal. http://franklinscandal.com/ Yes, it’s happening in Maine too.
Republican County Constable Larry Dale Floyd was arrested on suspicion of soliciting sex with an 8-year old girl. Floyd has repeatedly won elections for Denton County, Texas, constable.
Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
Republican Party leader Bobby Stumbo was arrested for having sex with a 5-year old boy.
Republican teacher and former city councilman John Collins pleaded guilty to sexually molesting 13 and 14 year old girls.
Republican campaign worker Mark Seidensticker is a convicted child molester.
Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
Republican Mayor John Gosek was arrested on charges of soliciting sex from two 15-year old girls.
Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17.
Republican Committeeman John R. Curtain was charged with molesting a teenage boy and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida.
Republican zoning supervisor, Boy Scout leader and Lutheran church president Dennis L. Rader pleaded guilty to performing a sexual act on an 11-year old girl he murdered.
Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.
Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after admitting to a sexual affair with a female juvenile.
Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
Republican advertising consultant Carey Lee Cramer was charged with molesting his 9-year old step-daughter after including her in an anti-Gore television commercial.
Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
Republican Congressman Donald “Buz” Lukens was found guilty of having sex with a female minor and sentenced to one month in jail.
Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of child porn charges and paying two teenage girls to pose for sexual photos.
Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.
Republican activist Randal David Ankeney pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child.
Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a female minor working as a congressional page.
Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.
Republican Judge Ronald C. Kline was placed under house arrest for child molestation and possession of child pornography.
Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.
Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. “Republican Marty”), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with an underage girl and one count of delivering the drug LSD.
Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.
Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.
Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to traditional values, was sentenced to jail after offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.
Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals to an 11 year old girl.
Republican anti-gay activist Earl “Butch” Kimmerling was sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.
Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl.
Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.
Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to girls under the age of 16 (i.e.exposing himself to children).
Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was found guilty of molesting a 15-year old girl.
Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a male child.
Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage girl.
Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters.
Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl.
Republican County Commissioner Merrill Robert Barter pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy.
Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison.
Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000.
Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography was found in his possession.
Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet.
Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.
Republican director of the “Young Republican Federation” Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Republican president of the New York City Housing Development Corp. Russell Harding pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer.
Republican Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized the rape of children in Iraqi prisons in order to humiliate their parents into providing information about the anti-American insurgency.
Republican serial killer Ted Bundy was hired by the Republican Party
Republican activist Matthew Glavin, who preached family values, was caught masturbating in public and fondling an undercover park ranger
Republican Party Chairman Sam Walls, who is married, was urged to drop his candidacy for Congress when it was found he likes to dress up in women’s clothing
Republican Congressman Edward Schrock resigned from Congress after he was caught searching for sex on a gay telephone service
Republican Mayor Jim West Republican voter Timothy McVeigh bombed Oklahoma City championed an anti-gay agenda, but was later found to be gay himself
Republican preacher Jimmy Swaggart preached fidelity, but cheated on his wife with a prostitute
Republican Congressman Bob Livingston was about to vote for impeaching President Clinton for sexual improprieties until it was disclosed he was an adulterer
Republican Congressman Henry Hyde denounced President Clinton’s extramarital affair, but was later found to be an adulterer himself
Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.
Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard A. Dasen Sr., was found guilty of raping a 15-year old girl. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several grandchildren,
has told police that over the past decade he paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women.
Republican city councilman Mark Harris, who is described as a “good military man” and “church goer,” was convicted of repeatedly having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida.
Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17.
Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girl.
Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.
This is only 1/4 of the list but they all have something in common.