Ethics, not Catholic bashing

Charles Reichley
Published: October 1, 2008

With the economy in turmoil, partly because of practices at companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it is as important as ever to ensure companies do business ethically. Rules and regulations are
not enough — with bad leaders, businesses will break rules and subvert regulations. 

It is too easy to pay off politicians to pass laws that benefit political allies. It takes strong, ethical leaders to resist the temptation of money and power. But often we end up with the wrong people in
Washington and the boardrooms. 

However, most business leaders want to do what is right. Many join organizations which encourage business leaders to act ethically, rather than in greedy self-interest. Groups like the Rotary Club
provide guidance and peer support, as well as personal accountability for actions.

Keith Fimian, a successful business owner running to replace Tom Davis as the 11th district Representative, is a board member for one of these organizations — Legatus. Legatus is a Catholic-based
organization which encourages ethics and morality in business. Religion can play a positive role in keeping businesses honest. As Pope John Paul II said addressing Legatus, “The world needs genuine
witnesses to Christian ethics in the field of business, and the Church asks you to fulfill this role publicly and with perseverance.”

So, given the importance of business ethics, why is Gerry Connolly, Fimian’s opponent, attacking his involvement in a pro-ethics, pro-Catholic business organization? Is Connolly opposed to business
ethics? Does he believe that faith has no role to play in promoting honesty and integrity in the workforce? 

Or, is this just a less-obvious way to attack Fimian for the beliefs of the Catholic Church? In a column in this paper Monday, Charles Haynes decried the use of religious attacks for political gain. 

He cites several examples, including “the lie that Obama is a Muslim,” the “disparagement of Palin as a ‘religious freak’” and the “opposition to John Kennedy because of his Catholic faith.”

Because Legatus is a Catholic organization, it has members who adhere to Catholic doctrine.  It also provides links on its Web site to other Catholic and religious organizations.

The attacks by Connolly and his supporters are not directed at what Legatus does, but at the beliefs of these other organizations.  One mailer says Legatus “promotes other groups fighting for a radical-
anti-woman agenda.” Connolly says “My opponent belongs to an organization that opposes these things,” referring to abortion, “stem cell research” and “contraception”.

The official teachings of the Catholic Church include opposition to abortion, fetal stem cell research and contraception. 

But Connolly is also Catholic, which means Connolly also “belongs to an organization that opposes these things.” Connolly says “I assume when you belong to an organization, you subscribe to the
tenets of this organization.” The Catholic Church rejects women as priests — should Connolly be faulted for ties to a “radical-anti-woman agenda?”

Further, Legatus does not actually offer “opposition” as Connolly says. Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League, explains that “Legatus doesn’t promote any group,” and “Legatus explicitly states
that it does ‘not necessarily endorse all of the content or the views contained in the sites’” that it links on its Web page.

Also, Connolly’s negative attacks distort both Catholic teachings and Fimian’s beliefs. The Catholic Church does not oppose “stem cell research,” as Connolly claims, but only fetal research, which
involves killing pre-born humans. And Fimian has said he is not opposed to contraception, as Connolly falsely suggests.

This is not the only time Connolly has deceived the voters. As the Fairfax Board Chair, Connolly has led Fairfax to a 430 million dollar budget shortfall. To deflect criticism, he falsely claimed on a WTOP
radio show that Prince William’s shortfall was worse than his, a half billion dollars. PWC Board Chair Corey Stewart had to correct him, noting “In fact, the county is not even facing a shortfall in the fiscal
year ‘09, unlike the tens of millions of dollars that Fairfax is facing under Gerry’s leadership, if you can call it that.”

We need better leaders in Washington, leaders who care about ethics and morals. Keith Fimian is an experienced business owner and a leader of a Catholic organization that promote ethics in business.
Connolly is a politician who knows how to overspend taxpayer money, attack people for membership in religious organizations and say whatever helps him get elected.

Charles Reichley has been a Prince William County resident since 1981. He can be reached at critically .