Hawley Alleges AG Garland Gave False Testimony About DOJ Targeting Catholics

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of providing false information after he denied that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been using informants to infiltrate the Catholic Church.

The DOJ’s alleged efforts to infiltrate Catholic churches were first raised after whistleblowers obtained documents from the FBI’s Richmond Field Office regarding the threats posed by the “radical-traditionalist Catholic” ideology. The FBI acknowledged the authenticity of the documents and said they did not meet the agency’s standards, subsequently rescinding them.

In March, Hawley questioned Garland during a Senate Committee hearing on the DOJ’s view of Catholics. Hawley asked Garland if the DOJ was cultivating informants and spies within the Catholic Church, to which Garland responded, “No, the Justice Department does not do that. It does not do investigations based on religion.” When pressed further on the number of informants within Catholic congregations, Garland said, “I don’t know, and I don’t believe we have any informants aimed at Catholic churches.”

On Monday, the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government alleged that the FBI relied on at least one undercover agent to produce a document assessing the threats of RTC ideology and discussed outreach to clergy and church leadership to inform on parishioners.

Subsequently, Hawley wrote a letter to Garland, accusing the DOJ of turning Catholic congregations into front organizations for the FBI and fudging the truth before Congress, calling it an assault on American Catholics’ First Amendment rights.

Hawley asked Garland to identify the number of undercover informants or agents within Catholic parishes and other organizations, which FBI field offices received guidance on the infiltration of traditionalist Catholic parishes, and also how many undercover informants or agents were within other religious organizations.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, the DOJ has demonstrated an increased interest in Catholic individuals.

NTD attempted to reach out to the DOJ for comment, but there was no response before the publication of this article.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on abortion, the DOJ has shown an increased interest in Catholic individuals. The FBI produced a document regarding the radical-traditionalist Catholic ideology that claims these Catholics are converging with the far-right white nationalist movement and racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists.