Judge denies Wisconsin attorney general’s request to review Milwaukee archdiocese records

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A federal judge has denied Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul’s request to review the Milwaukee Archdiocese’s sealed bankruptcy records as part of his investigation into clergy sex abuse. Kaul launched the investigation in April 2021. He said he wanted to develop a full picture of clergy sexual abuse over the decades. He filed a request in federal court in August 2023 seeking access to the archdiocese’s bankruptcy records that were sealed nearly a decade ago. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that U.S. District Judge G. Michael Halfenger ruled Monday that Kaul failed to make a valid case for reopening the bankruptcy decision.