The memo was also condemned by Richmond Bishop Barry Knestout. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined a letter with 19 other state attorneys general that requested the FBI provide all documents related to the production of the memo. Glenn Youngkin demanded full transparency from the FBI memo that targeted Catholics in the Richmond Diocese. “The FBI is actively working to respond to congressional requests for information - including voluntary production of documents.” “The FBI recognizes the importance of congressional oversight and remains fully committed to cooperating with Congress’ oversight requests consistent with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities,” the statement read. The FBI declined to comment on the new information revealed in the document but told CNA that it has received the subpoena and intends to cooperate with the subcommittee. “We have also now ordered our inspection division to take a look at how this happened and try to figure out how we can make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” “We do not conduct investigations based on religious affiliation or practices, full stop,” Wray said. The memo contains similar language about tripwires and source development but did not indicate that it had already used intelligence gathered by an undercover agent. In his March 8 testimony, the FBI director told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that the leaked memo from the bureau’s Richmond division did not reflect the FBI’s exacting standards and he was “aghast” when he learned about it. Jordan’s office did not respond to CNA’s request for comment in time for publication. Jordan said the document reveals that the contents were reviewed and approved by two senior intelligence analysts and the local Chief Division Counsel at the FBI. “In addition to, engage in outreach to the leadership of other chapels in the FBI Richmond to sensitize these congregations to the warning signs of radicalization and to enlist their assistance to serve as suspicious activity tripwires.” Jordan included this excerpt from the redacted FBI document: Pius X, which holds an irregular canonical status within the Catholic Church. Jordan said the document also shows the agency intended to use local religious organizations as “new avenues for tripwire and source development.” In his letter to Wray, he said that the document reveals instances in which the FBI planned to engage in outreach to “mainline Catholic parishes” and “diocesan leadership” as well as contact the leadership of the Society of St. “We now know the FBI relied on at least one undercover agent to produce its analysis ,” Jordan said in the letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray that accompanied his subpoena for documents. While the excerpts from the document that were released to the public do not specifically mention an undercover agent, Jordan said they offered proof that such an operation took place. Titled “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities,” the memo singles out Catholics who are interested in the Traditional Latin Mass as potentially linked to violent extremist groups.īecause much of the information in the memo was redacted, Jordan subpoenaed the FBI for the full documentation along with documentation about activities that would subject religious organizations to FBI investigations. The memo, which the FBI later retracted, called for such investigations within traditionalist Catholic communities. 23 that originated from the FBI’s Richmond division. The committee had requested information following the leak of an internal memo dated Jan. In response to its inquiry, the committee announced it received from the FBI a heavily redacted 18-page document that uncovered limited information about the agency’s efforts to investigate a supposed link between traditionalist Catholics and “the far-right white nationalist movement.” Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who chairs the House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. A new document revealed that the Richmond Federal Bureau of Investigation used at least one undercover agent to obtain information about traditionalist Catholics, said Rep.
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