You knew it.
I knew it.
And yesterday, the whole world found out.
The FBI deliberately weaponized undercover agents and counterterrorism tools to target Catholic Americans.
Yesterday afternoon the House Judiciary Committee released a stunning report proving the hard truth: the Biden administration’s Department of Justice has been working to cover up the true nature and extent of its efforts to marginalize Catholics.
Surprised?
As you know, CatholicVote has been fighting since March to obtain copies of the documents and communications that led to the infamous “Richmond memo” authorizing agents to begin spying on Catholic churches.
After months of stall tactics and obstruction we were left with no choice but to sue the FBI to force them to be forthcoming.
Under Court order, the FBI finally recently handed over 278 heavily redacted pages of suspicious emails, records, and memos. They also withheld 240 completely redacted pages. And are refusing to release additional documents for months.
From what they already shared, we were able to see that the Richmond memo targeting Catholics created significant alarm within the agency – and that the FBI was far more concerned with negative publicity and covering their tracks than it was with transparency and respecting our First Amendment right to practice our faith.
Congress’ report yesterday confirmed everything CatholicVote has found so far.
According to the Judiciary Committee report, the FBI effort involved at least four field offices – including Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Portland, and Richmond. It also authorized the use of undercover agents to infiltrate Catholic parishes, and used a Catholic priest and a choir director to inform on one of their own parishioners.
Think about that.
The FBI was using a priest and a choir director to gather intel on Catholics who attend mass. These are tactics worthy of a communist state. Not the American justice system.
Despite every effort to downplay the significance of this abuse of power, the FBI still owes Catholics and all concerned Americans answers. Who was behind this? How far and wide did this effort go inside the FBI? Is it ongoing? Has anyone been fired?
Why does this matter?
According to the House Judiciary Committee report, the FBI “singled out Americans who are pro-life, pro-family, and support the biological basis for sex and gender distinction as potential terrorists.”
Sound like someone you know?
The pattern is plain for anyone to see. If you still cling to traditional moral beliefs on life, marriage, family, or even biology…you can be singled out as a threat. And your pastor or priest may be visited by the FBI to gather intel on you and your family.
The line between faithful Catholic and domestic terrorist is getting smaller by the day.
Now you know why CV is leading this fight.
P.S. This whole scandal is made all the worse by the fact that the FBI remains grossly derelict in its duty to protect Catholic churches, which have been attacked more than 200 times since the leak of the Dobbs decision in May of 2022 and nearly 100 times this year alone. CatholicVote’s tracker continues to be the #1 source of up-to-date information on these hate crimes.
>> Want to help keep the pressure on the FBI? Chip in here!
P.P.S. One more thing…this morning the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to investigate the failure of the DOJ to enforce laws prohibiting discrimination against our churches. Rep. Chip Roy mentioned CV in his opening statement, which you should definitely check out: