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New Orleans attorney fined $400,000 after exposing abusive priest says it was ‘worth it’
New Orleans lawyer Richard Trahant says the more than $400,000 fine he incurred after helping expose priest Paul Hart’s past misconduct was “worth it”. The archdiocese added Hart to its list of clergy facing credible abuse claims on 6 November, years after his conduct and the decisions of church leaders were challenged.
Hart had admitted to church supervisors that he had sexual contact in the early 1990s with a 17-year-old he met through his ministry. An advisory board recommended removing him from public ministry, but Archbishop Gregory Aymond allowed him to continue and appointed him chaplain at Brother Martin school in 2017; Hart retired in January 2022. Trahant said the church’s classification vindicated those who spoke out, though he described the result as a costly “Pyrrhic victory”.
In short
- The archdiocese added Paul Hart to its list of credibly accused clergy.
- Richard Trahant says the costly fight was worth it.
- Hart had served as a school chaplain after church leaders reviewed his case.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Trahant’s case is that exposing credible allegations and the decisions that allowed Hart to remain in ministry served the public interest, particularly given the risk to young people and the need for accountability. The archdiocese’s later listing of Hart may be seen as vindicating those who raised concerns, making the personal and financial cost worthwhile despite the delay.
The case against
A reasonable counterargument is that pursuing exposure through legal or public channels can impose serious costs on those involved and may complicate fair, careful handling of allegations. Church leaders could argue that decisions about ministry should follow established procedures and take account of the evidence available at the time, while acknowledging that the later listing raises questions about whether those procedures were adequate.