Internal Document Exposes FBI For Targeting Catholics as ‘Domestic Extremists’

An internal FBI document subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee shows the bureau lied about a memo targeting Catholics for ‘extremist violence.’

“Subpoenaed document reveals that the FBI Richmond Field Office coordinated with MULTIPLE field offices across the country to produce a memo targeting traditional Catholics as domestic terrorists,” the House Judiciary GOP wrote.

“Wray previously said the actions were limited to ‘a single field office.'”

#BREAKING: Subpoenaed document reveals that the FBI Richmond Field Office coordinated with MULTIPLE field offices across the country to produce a memo targeting traditional Catholics as domestic terrorists

Wray previously said the actions were limited to “a single field office.” pic.twitter.com/5vyS2EXpml

— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) August 9, 2023

“The committee on the Judiciary is continuing to conduct oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) assessment of traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists. From information recently produced to the Committee, we now know that the FBI relied on information from around the country – including a liaison contact in the FBI’s Portland Field Office and reporting from the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office – to develop its assessment. This new information suggests that the FBI’s use of its law enforcement capabilities to intrude on American’s First Amendment rights is more widespread than initially suspected and reveals inconsistencies with your previous testimony before the Committee. Given this startling new information, we write to request additional information to advance our oversight,” a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray read.

When the agency first got caught targeting Catholics for ‘committing acts of extremist violence,’ the agency said it was a ‘rogue field office,’ Zero Hedge noted.

However, the less-redacted document proves that’s not the case.

Surprise! The FBI Lied About 'White Supremacist' Memo Targeting Catholics, New Document Reveals https://t.co/GNuyXNxguK

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) August 9, 2023

Zero Hedge cited a report from The Wall Street Journal editorial board:

In February, a whistleblower leaked a heavily redacted January report from the FBI’s Richmond office: “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities.”

The document defined “radical-traditionalist Catholics” as those who attend Latin Mass and, according to the FBI, adhere to “anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, and white supremacist ideology,” based on what the WSJ editorial board called half-baked “open-source” reporting from liberal news outlets to justify further investigation.

FBI headquarters quickly said the report didn’t meet its “exacting standards” and had been withdrawn. FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Judiciary Committee in July that the report was “a single product by a single field office.” He added that “as soon as I found out about it, I was aghast and ordered it withdrawn and removed from FBI systems,” and he said he began an internal probe.

On July 25 the FBI finally provided the committee with a less-redacted version of that Richmond document. The report says that its information on Catholics was “primarily derived” from an “FBI Richmond contact”; an “FBI Portland liaison contact” who informed on a subject who “gravitated to” traditionalist catholicism; and an “FBI Undercover Employee” who reported on a subject who attended a Catholic church in California. -WSJ

How widespread is the targeting of traditional Catholics as ‘potential domestic terrorists?’

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) wants answers from Christopher Wray no later than August 23rd.

Read the internal FBI document HERE.