Republicans claim that the targeting of Catholics is more widespread within the FBI than the director acknowledged.
Members of a Federal Bureau of Investigation SWAT team are seen during an FBI field training exercise / Getty Images
House Republicans Uncover Evidence of Coordinated Targeting of Traditionalist Catholics by Multiple FBI Field Offices
House Republicans have recently revealed compelling evidence that suggests multiple FBI field offices collaborated to target traditionalist Catholics, contradicting the agency’s director’s previous claim that such actions were carried out by a single field office.
In a letter addressed to FBI director Chris Wray, House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan stated that information obtained by the Committee indicates that the FBI relied on input from various locations, including the FBI’s Portland Field Office and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, to develop its assessment. This assessment, released in January 2023, suggested that traditionalist Catholics could potentially be domestic extremists.
The internal memo, which was later retracted, categorized Catholics who attend Latin mass as potential domestic extremists and terrorists. While Wray initially claimed that the memo originated from a single office, Republicans now assert that they possess evidence proving it was part of a broader effort involving multiple field offices.
The letter reads, “This new information suggests that the FBI’s use of its law enforcement capabilities to infringe upon Americans’ First Amendment rights is more widespread than initially suspected and reveals inconsistencies with your previous testimony before the Committee.”
The memo, titled “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities,” originated from the FBI’s Richmond office on January 23.
Republicans are now demanding access to communications and memos from Wray that will shed light on the extent of involvement by other field offices.
The revelation follows an earlier disclosure by House Republicans in April, where they exposed the FBI’s plan to infiltrate Catholic churches in order to investigate alleged religious extremism.
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