(TheRedWire.com) – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a notable figure with connections to a prominent Catholic family, recently spoke on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’ about a contentious issue. A conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch, disclosed nearly 100 pages of FBI documents. These documents purportedly reveal that the FBI’s surveillance and targeting of Catholic churches were more extensive than previously acknowledged.
Judicial Watch’s press release highlighted discrepancies in FBI Director Christopher Wray’s statements to Congress, suggesting a broader scope of review within the FBI. This revelation comes from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request concerning an internal FBI memo leaked earlier in the year. The memo, originating from the FBI’s Richmond office, indicated efforts to categorize Catholics as potential terrorists, sparking immediate Republican criticism.
The memo, titled “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities,” was criticized for labeling “radical-traditionalist Catholic[s]” as potential extremists. Initially, The FBI maintained that this memo was an isolated incident from a single field office.
In response to the leak, the FBI stated to Fox News Digital that they removed the document from their systems and reviewed its basis. They emphasized that the memo did not reflect the FBI’s standards and denied targeting Catholics specifically.
However, Judicial Watch argues that the newly released documents contradict the FBI’s stance, indicating a more widespread operation involving high-level approval within the agency. President of Judicial Watch, Tom Fitton, called for a criminal inquiry into this matter, suggesting that the issue was more significant than the FBI had admitted.
The documents include communications among FBI officials from various field offices, raising questions about the extent of the operation. Republicans, including Chairman Jim Jordan and Rep. Mike Johnson, have echoed these concerns, suggesting a broader infringement on First Amendment rights.
An FBI spokesperson refuted these allegations, asserting that the internal review found no intent to target Catholics or any other religious group and that the FBI upholds constitutional rights, including freedom of religion. The spokesperson emphasized that the FBI investigates acts of violence and federal law violations, not religious practices.
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