The Diocesan Spin Cycle Begins Anew

Barely 24 hours have passed since the Orange diocese's press conference, and already Bishop Tod D. Brown's spinmasters are trying to make His Excellency better than he is. On the diocesan website is a story titled "BISHOP OF ORANGE APOLOGIZES TO YOUNG WOMEN," in which the following is revealed:

Most Rev. Tod D. Brown, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange apologized personally to two of the four young women whose lawsuits naming the Diocese had been formally settled in Superior Court just moments before.

In an impromptu news conference in front of the courthouse, Bishop Brown spoke directly to Christina Ruiz and Sarah Luckey Grey [sic], standing nearby, “To both of you, I offer my sincere and deepest apologies for what happened to you.

From reading this, it would seem that Brown went out of his way to meet Ruiz and Gray, that His Excellency really is repentant. A nice story, to be sure--except it didn't quite work out this way.

Here's the truth: On Oct. 5, Brown issued a press release stating, "I sincerely hope that it will enable the women who brought these actions to begin the process of healing and reconciliation." Nowhere in here did Brown apologize to the victims. On Monday, three of the four victims publicly revealed themselves and criticized Brown for not apologizing to them.

Flash forward to yesterday. After Judge Gail Andler carried over Brown's contempt-of-court hearing for another day, two of the four victims--Ruiz and Gray--walked out of the courtroom. Nobody in Brown's entourage so much as acknowledged the young ladies. Outside, the two had another press conference in which they criticized Brown again.

Brown finally emerged from the courtroom. Ruiz and Gray joined the reporters who crowded around the bishop. Then--and only then--did Brown apologize. The man did it only after being called on it, people.

The above press release, by the way, is a treasure trove of crap. More analysis to come after lunch...