(Ken Silva, Headline USA) After a leaked FBI intelligence bulletin showed in February that the FBI was spying on “radical-traditionalist Catholics,” bureau Director Chris Wray apologized for the matter and claimed that the surveillance of Catholics was limited to “a single field office” in Richmond, Virgina.
But information released Wednesday by the Judiciary Committee shows that the FBI’s operation against Catholics was more widespread than Wray originally claimed.
According to the committee, a new document explicitly shows that both FBI Portland and FBI Los Angeles field offices were involved in or contributed to the creation of FBI’s assessment of traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists. The new document is the same intelligence bulletin, but it contains fewer redactions.
Along with showing the involvement of other FBI field offices, the new document also reveals that an undercover FBI employee in California was reporting on the activities of the “radical” Catholics.
Elsewhere, an “FBI Portland liaison contact”—perhaps referring to a local law enforcement source—was monitoring an alleged extremist who was allegedly trying to join a Catholic church. The alleged extremist, Robert Reynolds, is now dead, the memo said.
“Thus, it appears that both FBI Portland and FBI Los Angeles field offices were involved in or contributed to the creation of FBI’s assessment of traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists,” the Judiciary Committee said of the new information.
The Judiciary Committee now seeks answers about why this information about other field offices was initially withheld from lawmakers, and why Wray apparently lied about the operation being confined to one stray office.
In a Wednesday letter to Wray, the committee asked for all records and communications between the FBI’s Richmond, Portland and LA field offices about “radical” Catholics. Wray has until August 22 to respond.
FBI whistleblower Stephen Friend had harsher words in wake of the new information: He accused Wray of committing perjury.
“Perjury and Obstruction of an Official Proceeding charges for FBI Director Wray by close of business. Or defund DOJ entirely,” Friend said on Twitter.
“We are either equal under the law or there is no law and no need for a DOJ.”
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
