FBI Distributed Anti-Catholic Memo to Over 1,000 Staff

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has revealed that a controversial FBI memo from the Richmond field office, which labeled "Radical Traditionalist Catholics" as potential domestic terrorism threats, was distributed to over 1,000 FBI employees nationwide, far broader than previously acknowledged by former FBI Director Christopher Wray. The memo, which relied heavily on the Southern Poverty Law Center's listings of so-called hate groups, sparked internal criticism from FBI staff who questioned the bureau's reliance on the SPLC's biased designations. Grassley uncovered at least 13 additional FBI documents using similar anti-Catholic terminology and found that multiple FBI field offices, including those in Louisville, Portland, and Milwaukee, were involved in preparing and consulting on the memo. The FBI drafted a second memo for bureau-wide distribution that was never released due to backlash, contradicting Wray's testimony that only a single product was produced. Grassley has called on current FBI Director Kash Patel to provide more documents and investigate the memo's origins and the bureau's misleading responses to Congress, emphasizing the need to restore fairness and neutrality in the FBI’s administration of justice. The revelations raise concerns over potential religious bias within the FBI during the Biden administration, with the memo's release having led to official disavowal but ongoing scrutiny of the bureau's internal practices.