FBI concealed the level of its anti-Catholic activities despite Wray’s statements, documents reveal

FBI’s Handling of Catholic Investigations Under Fire

The FBI is facing scrutiny for what some lawmakers have labeled an anti-Catholic initiative during the Biden administration. This comes despite a recent release where FBI Director Christopher Wray informed Congress that the issue was confined to a single 2023 memo.

Senator Chuck Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, released documents he claims illustrate the FBI’s involvement in investigations regarding traditional Catholic practices. Wray described the matter as stemming from a memo created by the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia office.

“I am committed to uncovering the truth behind the Richmond memo and exposing the FBI’s surveillance activities from the previous administration,” Grassley remarked. He expressed hope for restoring the FBI’s credibility and ensuring that justice is administered fairly.

In a letter to Director Kash Patel, Grassley voiced his concerns about the “anti-Catholic” memo and the overall lack of transparency. Despite Wray’s assertion that it was a single document produced by one office, the FBI had referenced “radical traditionalist Catholic” in at least 13 additional documents and five attachments, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

The FBI acknowledged receiving Grassley’s letter but declined to provide any further comments. During his testimony, Wray also failed to mention the existence of a second draft related to the same topic.

Wray insisted that while the memo originated from one office, there were numerous related documents, and actions were taken upon their discovery.

The memo gained public attention after a whistleblower disclosed it. Titled “The interest of racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists in radical traditionalist Catholic ideology presents arguably new opportunities for mitigation,” it quickly attracted criticism from Republican lawmakers who demanded explanations from federal agencies.

Grassley claims that the second memo, drafted by the Richmond Field Office, made unfounded connections between traditional Catholic beliefs and violent extremism.

A new document he released indicates that Richmond’s memo circulated to over 1,000 FBI employees across the country. An email from the Buffalo field office raised concerns regarding hate groups mentioned in both the Richmond memo and local jurisdictions.

Grassley stated that the FBI relied on “deeply biased sources” for its conclusions in the memo.

He noted, “These letters highlighted the preparation and spread of biased memos, the usage of sources like the radical Southern Poverty Law Center, and the misleading statements made to Congress, including those from former Director Ray.”