Ramsey County Board Chair Jim McDonough has sued the Boy Scouts of America, claiming that he was abused by a scout leader four decades ago and the organization was negligent by not protecting youth in the organization.

McDonough said he was abused by a scout leader, now deceased, between 1967-71, the Pioneer Press says.

McDonough said in a statement:

“This predator stole four years of my life. I lost another 15 years to self-destructive behavior. For years, this was my shame. It’s no longer my shame — it’s the Boy Scouts’ shame.”

The paper notes that state law allows law adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse can file a civil lawsuit for past abuse until May 24, 2016.

McDonough’s suit says the Boy Scouts failed to adequately respond to an institution-wide sexual abuse epidemic within scouting and had “perversion files” on alleged pedophiles, yet allowed some to continue as scout leaders.