A National Controversy Exposed

In a revelation that has stirred national outrage and concern over civil liberties, documents obtained by Senator Chuck Grassley have uncovered an expansive and coordinated FBI effort targeting traditional Catholics. Originally leaked by a whistleblower, the now-infamous Richmond memo was not an isolated incident as previously claimed, but rather part of a wider initiative involving multiple FBI field offices. Distributed to over 1,000 FBI employees, this campaign employed anti-Catholic language and sourced information from the controversial Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The scandal has reignited debates over religious freedom, governmental overreach, and political discrimination in the United States.

Origins of the Richmond Memo

The FBI’s internal targeting of Catholic communities was first made public through the Richmond field office’s memorandum, which profiled “Radical Traditionalist Catholics” (RTCs) as potential domestic terrorists. Originally presented to the public as an isolated and quickly retracted product, this memo has now been revealed as a cog in a much larger wheel. According to Senator Grassley’s findings, at least 13 related documents and five attachments circulated internally at the Bureau, signaling the existence of a systemic bias rather than a one-off misjudgment. The Richmond memo was reportedly influenced by input from the Louisville, Portland, and Milwaukee field offices, which supplied intelligence on Catholic groups. The memo incorporated terms and comparisons suggesting that traditional Catholic values, such as “conservative family roles” — were ideologically comparable to extremist movements like Islamist terrorism.

Senator Chuck Grassley’s Investigative Role

Senator Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, played a central role in exposing the extent of the FBI’s actions. Through persistent inquiries to former FBI Director Christopher Wray and current Director Kash Patel, Grassley obtained and publicized documents that refuted the Bureau’s earlier denials. He revealed that the FBI had produced additional memos that repeated anti-Catholic sentiments and were nearly disseminated across the entire agency. Moreover, he pointed out that Wray had given misleading testimony under oath, downplaying the breadth of the operation and concealing the existence of a second memo designed for nationwide distribution. Grassley’s June 3 letter to Director Patel has intensified scrutiny of the FBI’s internal culture and raised calls for accountability.

The SPLC Connection and Questionable Intelligence Sources

One of the most controversial aspects of the FBI’s operation is its reliance on the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that has long drawn criticism for labeling mainstream conservative and religious groups as hate groups. The Richmond memo and associated documents relied heavily on SPLC’s characterization of Radical Traditionalist Catholics, embedding their framework into government intelligence assessments. Critics argue that this reliance reveals a troubling ideological alignment between federal agencies and partisan watchdogs. The SPLC’s labeling of traditional Catholic groups as potentially violent radicals — without substantial evidence — effectively sanctioned a bias-driven approach to surveillance and intelligence gathering.

Nationwide Coordination: A Broader Surveillance Operation

Contrary to the narrative that the Richmond memo was a rogue document, Senator Grassley’s disclosures show that at least four FBI field offices — Richmond, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and Portland — collaborated or contributed intelligence. This national coordination raises concerns that the federal government undertook a deliberate and widespread campaign against traditionalist Catholics, treating them as potential threats due to their religious and political beliefs. According to CatholicVote and related legal filings, the FBI even considered deploying undercover agents to infiltrate Catholic churches, schools, and diocesan offices. This revelation suggests not only surveillance but also active engagement with communities presumed guilty by association, with no basis other than their traditionalist beliefs.

Reaction from Catholic Advocacy Groups

Catholic organizations such as CatholicVote have responded with alarm and outrage. Co-founder Joshua Mercer called the FBI’s actions a “frontal assault on the First Amendment” and emphasized that this behavior must never be allowed to recur. In 2023, CatholicVote filed a lawsuit against the FBI to gain access to the full breadth of documents behind the Richmond memo. After receiving thousands of redacted pages, they confirmed that the surveillance extended beyond Richmond, becoming a national effort. Mercer called on Director Kash Patel to rescind all related directives, discipline those responsible, and end any ongoing monitoring of Catholic institutions. Advocacy groups argue that this level of religious profiling has no place in a constitutional democracy.

Misleading Congressional Testimony and the SPEAR Draft

Director Wray’s sworn testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee — in which he expressed that he was “aghast” at the Richmond memo and stated it was quickly withdrawn — has now been cast in a new light. According to Grassley, not only was the memo disseminated broadly within the Bureau, but an entirely separate memo — intended for national distribution — was also in preparation. This draft, known as a Strategic Perspective Executive Analytic Report (SPEAR), included similar language warning about the dangers of traditional Catholics but removed references to SPLC, presumably in response to backlash. The memo’s circulation, despite never being officially finalized, indicates that the Bureau was intent on institutionalizing these views until forced to backpedal.

Legal and Constitutional Implications

The implications of these findings are far-reaching. At the core is the question of whether the federal government violated the First Amendment rights of Catholic Americans by treating their beliefs and religious practices as national security threats. The use of undercover operatives, reliance on ideologically biased sources, and national-level coordination all suggest a level of misconduct that could have legal ramifications. Calls for accountability now include demands for independent investigations, legislative oversight, and possible civil suits by affected groups. If proven, such violations could represent one of the most severe breaches of religious liberty in recent U.S. history.

Conclusion: A Call for Oversight and Transparency

The scandal surrounding the FBI’s anti-Catholic targeting has prompted renewed demands for transparency, oversight, and reform. Senator Grassley’s investigative work has unveiled an agency operating in ways that contradict the very principles it is sworn to uphold. The targeting of pro-life, traditionalist Catholics — under the guise of domestic security — is a wake-up call for Americans concerned about the politicization of law enforcement. As the nation reckons with these revelations, the need for systemic accountability within the FBI and broader federal agencies has never been more urgent. For defenders of civil liberties and religious freedom, this case may serve as a defining moment in holding power to account and reaffirming constitutional protections for all.

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