FBI Director shocked by memo targeting ‘Radical Traditionalist Catholics’.

FBI Director “Aghast” at Targeting of Catholic Communities

FBI Director Christopher Wray shocked Congress on Wednesday with his response to an internal memo that targeted Catholic communities as extremists.

In February, a leaked memo from the Richmond Field Office in Virginia revealed the agency’s interest in traditionalist and Latin Mass Catholic parishes, suggesting that extremists might become interested in these parishes leading up to the next congress-since-1983-goes-after-people-in-washington/” title=”‘Desperate’: Democrat Who’s Been in Congress Since 1983 Goes After ‘People in Washington’”>general election cycle.

The memo recommended placing confidential informants in Catholic parishes to counter this alleged extremist threat. It was signed by at least five officials in the Richmond Field Office.

The memo discussed the potential for outreach to traditional Catholic parishes and the development of sources to report on places of worship as new opportunities to mitigate the extremist threat.

Republicans and Catholics alike expressed outrage over the leaked memo. Republicans saw it as another example of the federal government targeting conservatives, while Bishop Barry Knestout of the Diocese of Richmond called it a threat to religious liberty.

Testimony and Condemnation

During his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Wray faced questions about the memo.

“What’s the difference between a traditional Catholic and a radical traditional Catholic?” Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) asked.

“Well, I’m not an expert on the Catholic orders,” Mr. Wray replied.

When reminded of the memo, Mr. Wray downplayed its significance, stating that it was a single product from a single field office and had no impact on FBI policy.

“As soon as I found out about it, I was aghast and ordered it withdrawn and removed from FBI systems,” Mr. Wray emphasized.

He reiterated that the memo was not something he would defend or excuse, calling it appalling and stating that he had it removed.

Mr. Wray assured the committee that the FBI does not recruit or operate confidential human sources to infiltrate, target, or report on religious institutions, and that the memo was a breach of FBI policy.

Panel Blocked From Speaking to Authors

While Mr. Wray expressed his condemnation of the memo, he clarified that, to the best of his knowledge, it did not lead to further investigative action.

However, Mr. Jordan insisted on speaking to the authors and those who authorized the memo in the Richmond Field Office.

Mr. Wray explained that an internal review was underway and promised to provide a briefing on the findings once it was completed.

Mr. Jordan expressed frustration, stating that an internal review was unnecessary to understand that the memo was driven by politics.

He pointed out that the memo mentioned issues such as abortion rights, immigration, affirmative action, and LGBTQ protections, all of which are politically charged.

“It’s politics,” Mr. Jordan concluded. “That’s the motivation in the run-up to the next election.”

Conclusion

The FBI Director’s condemnation of the memo and his promise to address the issue through an internal review did little to satisfy Mr. Jordan and others who believe that the memo was politically motivated. The controversy surrounding the memo continues as the public awaits further updates from the FBI.