It’s always great to know a variety of people. And that’s never more so the case than when dealing with the meltdown at Trinity Episcopal Upperville over allegations that outgoing rector Jonathan “Johnny Boy” Adams is a pedophile. Specifically, we hear from friends within the parish that the wardens are talking trash, saying that Adams should sue us, and more.

Here’s our response.

First, in case no one let folks at Trinity in on the secret, standing up for an alleged pedophile is not a good look. And while folks at the church are carrying on with the usual nonsense about how Adams is a nice guy, friendly, holds doors for little old ladies, the whole nine, the reality is that this priest lied, in writing, to his congregation. (For those not already in the know, Johnny Boy told the parish that both the diocese and law enforcement exonerated him of allegations that he was grooming a boy. Neither did so.)

So, as for this BS about suing us, all we can say is, “Bring it on, baby!”

Discovery will be a hoot, and we can’t wait to see those emails among vestry members about who knew what and when. Or the explanations about why Adams was fired from his previous job. Or emails with the Diocese. (And before folks at Trinity rush to delete stuff, don’t worry, we’ll hit up your email providers for their backups. So save yourself the embarrassment and the potential claims for spoliation of evidence.)

We’ll also be super interested in Johnny Boy’s communications with various boys. And trust us — we will publish. Every. Single. Word. And folks at Trinity can see what that does for their average Sunday attendance.

We’ll raise you

Second, we’ll raise you.

We’re offering $10,000 to the first person who comes forward with information and testimony leading to the arrest and conviction of Johnny Boy for child sexual abuse.

To be clear: We don’t know that Johnny Boy has engaged in child sexual abuse. We can’t prove it.

That said, we’re confident there’s more to this story than meets the eye. We’re also well aware of how difficult it can be for people to come forward. So we’re putting our money where our mouth is, encouraging people to come forward, and offering an incentive to do so. (Our recent stalker in the comments will be pleased to know that we’re good for it.)

Perhaps parish wardens Scott Andrews and Shannon Davis should think carefully, both before rushing to the defense of an alleged pedophile and before allegedly suggesting people sue this publication. Because we are absolutely determined to find justice in this matter, and we will not be intimidated by this sort of nonsense.

How to claim the $10,000

If you, or someone you know, can help, the first step is to contact your local police. It doesn’t matter what jurisdiction, as long as it’s within the United States.

Then get in touch with us and provide a copy of the police report. We’ll protect your identity and will walk with you every step of the way through Johnny Boy’s conviction.

Meanwhile, perhaps Trinity leadership should consider toning down the stupid rhetoric. To be clear, there is no middle ground. Either you’re okay with a priest who allegedly grooms boys — and definitely lies to this church — or you’re not. And the ugly rhetoric is serving only to make a bad situation worse. (Folks should also check out recent high-profile defamation lawsuits in which the defendant was found liable after a jury concluded that they lied about their previous tortious conduct. Yes, you know the case.)

To be clear, we will continue to adamantly oppose any efforts to normalize Johnny Boy’s alleged misconduct. And we will fiercely fight the ugly rhetoric coming out of Trinity Upperville. Plus, Johnny Boy should not get any bright ideas: If he tries to land in another faith community and we get word of it, it’s game on.

Lastly, just to be clear: We have tremendous staying power. In a war of attrition, we will outlast Johnny Boy’s fanboys (and girls) by a long shot. And we’re not backing down.

So don’t try us.