"Catholics United" Gets Divisive

From The Washington Post: "Catholic Activists Ask McCain to Boot Faith Adviser"

Tensions are heating up among politically-minded Catholic activists after a group of left-leaning Catholics today publicly asked Sen. John McCain to boot a faith adviser who resigned from the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004 because of allegations he sexually harassed a college student.

"Deal Hudson is not the type of Catholic leader you want publicly associated with your campaign," read the letter from Catholics United to McCain.

The allegations against Deal Hudson are not new and their reappearance reflects the nasty back-and-forth among Catholic activists as the election draws closer. Hudson, a member of the Catholics for McCain National Steering Committee, resigned as publisher of the conservative Catholic magazine Crisis after the allegations first surfaced in 2004 in the pages of the National Catholic Reporter.

The Catholic League: "Phony Assault on Deal Hudson"

“There is nothing Catholic about these charges. Catholics put a premium on forgiveness and reconciliation—they do not conduct vindictive campaigns of personal destruction under the guise of promoting the Catholic cause. Hudson has made several public statements of apology regarding his improper sexual encounter with a coed in 1994. What are we to do as Catholics—say it isn’t enough? Ted Kennedy belongs to Barack Obama’s Catholic National Advisory Council. Should he be criticized? Certainly: I did just that when I cited his 100 percent NARAL record. What I didn’t do was cite his past sexual indiscretions, one of which left a young woman dead.

Deal Hudson: "A Few Words About My Past Scandal"

As you might have read, my 1994 scandal is back in the news. My past continues to be a source of shame to me and, unfortunately, my family.

My wife forgave me 14 years ago, and my daughter did the same 4 years ago when she read the National Catholic Reporter story. I hope my son will also be forgiving when he's old enough to find out his dad is very far from perfect.

I'm not blaming anyone for this. It was my own fault. And while the revelation of my failing was deeply humiliating, it was also an important wake up call for me. Over the past four years, I've tried to make amends with family, friends, and supporters. People close to me say I'm a different person now, and I’d like to think that’s true.

Deacon Keith Fournier: "In Defense of Deal Hudson: 'Catholics United' Should be Ashamed!"

... First, let me put it bluntly, for a group calling itself “Catholics United”, you should be ashamed of yourself! Do you believe in the efficacy of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

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You can disagree with Deal Hudson’s Politics. I do, and I have, on many occasions and over many issues. I have made it known quite strongly. Every time I have done so, he has been a worthy opponent.

You have had every opportunity to take your own Policy disagreements to the Public Square. I for one would have welcomed an intelligent debate. Instead, you have now resorted to impugning a fellow Catholic’s character by bringing up a past indiscretion which was forgiven in the Sacraments.

By resorting to such calumny and vicious written attacks like the kind you entered into in that E-Blast, you have also undermined your own moral credibility. After all, at the heart of the entirety of Catholic Social teaching is the virtue of Charity.

It was "Gotcha" politics at its worst 4 years ago when Joe Feuerherd (he of "the Bishops can go to hell" fame) revealed Deal Hudson's past sinful behavior on the pages of National Catholic Reporter as "payback" for the USCCB's firing of a staffer after Hudson had revealed the staffer was moonlighting by working on the Kerry campaign; and it's "Gotcha" politics at its worst 4 years later as "Catholics United" decides to get into the gutter rather than refute Hudson on the issues.

But what can they say to refute Hudson's arguments that their candidate is out of step with Catholic teaching on such non-negotiable issues as abortion? Nothing. And as the Catholic supporters of Democrats are wont to do when the facts are against them, they change the subject. Deflect and defame (in true Clintonian fashion).

The most positive aspect of this controversy is that the jerks at "Catholics United" have now completely discredited themselves. Contrary to the image they seek to portray of a "non-partisan" organization "refus[ing] to water down our faith in service of partisan politics", so-called "Catholics United" have exposed themselves as petty, partisan hacks who will go to any extreme - including dragging a Catholic brother through the mud by republishing his past sin - in order to advance the political cause of electing Democrats.