(Liberty Bell) – Every day that goes by it becomes more and more clear that our freedoms are being methodically chipped away at and personal liberty is being viciously attacked. The FBI has been investigating Catholic parishes in the US and now the House Judiciary Committee wants answers.
Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has issued a subpoena and demanded that FBI Director Christopher Wray testify regarding a Jan. 23 document from the Richmond Field Office, titled, “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities.”
In the document, efforts from the FBI to investigate so-called extremism among Catholics was outlined. The FBI categorized Catholics by theological beliefs and relied on research from the far left Southern Poverty Law Center.
The document concluded that some kinds of Catholics were domestic terrorists, as Jordan pointed out, and it also revealed a plan to use undercover agents to infiltrate Catholic parishes. This is truly sick.
“The Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight of the [FBI’s] handling of domestic violent extremism investigations against Catholic Americans and its effect on protected First Amendment activity,” Jordan wrote.
“Based on the limited information produced by the FBI to the Committee, we now know that the FBI relied on at least one undercover agent to produce its analysis, and that the FBI proposed that its agents engage in outreach to Catholic parishes to develop sources among the clergy and church leadership to inform on Americans practicing their faith. This shocking information reinforces our need for all responsive documents, and the Committee is issuing a subpoena to you to compel your full cooperation.”
After an earlier inquiry into the document, acting assistant director of congressional affairs for the FBI, Christopher Dunham, explained in a March 23 response that the “Domain Perspective (report) did not meet the FBI’s exacting standards and was withdrawn,” adding, “Upon learning of the document, FBI Headquarters removed it from our internal system. The FBI also initiated a review — which is now ongoing.”
That sure does seem like the exact response a totally corrupt institution that’s trying to maintain the last shreds of credibility would have.
Jordan wasn’t impressed with the response, calling it “substandard and partial” because it contained a noticeable number of redactions. He subsequently demanded full access to the documents relating to the effort and characterized the ones given so far as preventing “the Committee from fully assessing the content and context of the documents and obtaining information requested from the Bureau.”
Jordan pointed to one passage from the Richmond document that he found to be particularly alarming. It instructed agents to engage congregants in Catholic parishes “to enlist their assistance to serve as suspicious activity tripwires.”
Jordan concluded his letter by explaining his concern over the document being distributed to field offices all over the country and being approved by at least two senior officials.
He also explained that the subpoena was justified given that Wray had ignored previous requests from the Committee. You’d think that if this wasn’t how it looked, Wray would be eager to clear that up but his refusal to do so speaks volumes.
Copyright 2023. LibertyBell.com
