DOJ said it is intervening in Etienne v. Ferguson, a lawsuit filed by Catholic bishops in Washington state who filed a lawsuit over the new law in May. In a May sit-down interview with KING 5's Joyce Taylor, Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle said priests have told him they would go to prison before revealing information given during confession.

It is disappointing, but not surprising, to see the DOJ seek to shield and protect child abusers,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a statement.

The Department of Justice is suing Washington state over a new law requiring Catholic clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect shared during confessionals. Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant U.