Justice Department Report Links Catholic Beliefs to Domestic Extremism
The Justice Department (DOJ) issued a report on Thursday, outlining how the FBI connected traditional Catholic views with domestic extremism and conducted investigations into two priests during the Biden administration.
This report, produced by the DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group, focuses on an internal 2023 document from the FBI’s Richmond Field Office known as the “Richmond Domain Perspective.”
The DOJ claims that the assessment equated beliefs commonly held by conservative Catholics with violent extremism. The FBI flagged elements such as the Traditional Latin Mass, anti-abortion stances, conservative family principles, and a “rejection of modernity” as potential markers.
It was revealed that the FBI monitored the activities and communications of two priests but ultimately found no links to criminal actions or extremist behavior.
Additionally, the report highlighted that the FBI relied on questionable and unverified sources, including content from the Southern Poverty Law Center and foreign intelligence, without adequately vetting their credibility.
Subsequent internal evaluations by the FBI concluded that the Richmond assessment improperly conflated Catholic doctrine with violent extremism and did not sufficiently account for First Amendment protections, as reported by the DOJ.
Despite these findings, it appears that the FBI’s leadership did not implement meaningful changes. Employees involved in creating the document received favorable performance evaluations, and officials in the Richmond office continued to support and refine the assessment, even after it was removed from FBI records.
After returning to office in January 2025, President Donald Trump initiated a review regarding the misuse of federal agencies. The DOJ examined over 1,800 pages of internal emails, assessments, and investigative documents as part of the report.
As a result, the department has since dismissed key FBI personnel responsible for the Richmond memo.
Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “This Department of Justice will not tolerate a weaponized bureaucracy that suppresses First Amendment rights. The individuals who were involved in developing the Richmond Domain Perspective are no longer part of the Department.”
FBI Director Kash Patel affirmed that those responsible for the Richmond Catholic memo have faced consequences and promised to prevent similar issues from arising in the future. He emphasized, “Weaponization will never be tolerated at this FBI. Although those responsible for the unacceptable Richmond Catholic memo from the previous administration have been held accountable, sharing information about events under the prior regime is essential. I appreciate the efforts of the Weaponization Working Group and Attorney General Todd Blanche’s leadership in addressing these issues to ensure they do not recur.”
