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Posted on 06/06/2026 7:50:00 PM PDT by Red Badger
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has terminated several analysts responsible for drafting a notorious 2023 memo that smeared traditional Catholics as potential domestic extremists. Under Director Kash Patel, the agency took decisive action Friday, firing four intelligence analysts and one supervisory analyst tied to the document originating from the Richmond field office.
This move marks a significant shift from the Biden-era FBI’s pattern of viewing faithful Christians with suspicion while downplaying real threats elsewhere. The memo, which relied on Southern Poverty Law Center data and other questionable sources, wrongly conflated devout Catholics adhering to historic Church teachings with violent radicals.
It wasn’t just sloppy analysis—it exemplified a deeper institutional hostility toward traditional religion.
The January 2023 intelligence product warned of “radical-traditionalist Catholics” (RTCs) and their alleged attraction to white supremacist ideology. It suggested increased monitoring of these believers ahead of the 2024 elections. Yet, as exclusive reporting later revealed, the memo stemmed from the FBI’s investigation of a single troubled individual: a schizophrenic man named Xavier Lopez who had attended a traditional Catholic chapel.
Lopez had a long history of mental health issues and threats, predating any church involvement. Far from evidence of widespread Catholic radicalization, the case highlighted poor judgment in turning one unstable person’s attendance at Mass into a pretext for broader scrutiny of believers.
Records show Lopez was already on law enforcement radar for years. The FBI even deployed an informant inside the church to monitor him, claiming it was the only place he went alone. Yet charging documents and proceedings revealed no recruitment of other parishioners for violence—Lopez appeared more interested in personal matters than plotting attacks.
Analysts involved in his case then helped craft the memo, seeking to warn faith communities about “warning signs” of radicalization. The result was a document that painted traditional Catholic practices—rejection of certain post-Vatican II shifts, adherence to timeless moral teachings—as gateways to extremism.
The Memo’s Flawed Foundations
Critics rightly noted the memo’s heavy reliance on left-wing advocacy groups like the SPLC, long criticized for labeling mainstream conservative and Christian organizations as hate groups. It distinguished between “radical-traditionalist” Catholics and those simply preferring the Latin Mass, but the effect was the same: casting suspicion on those holding firm to biblical views on life, marriage, and sexuality.
Republicans in Congress highlighted it as proof of the FBI’s politicization, while the agency quickly retracted the document amid backlash. Then-Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed public dismay, but accountability was slow in coming.
A subsequent Justice Department inspector general review found procedural errors but no “malicious intent.” That finding rang hollow for many, given the memo’s real-world implications: potential surveillance in places of worship and a chilling effect on religious liberty.
The firings now under Patel suggest a new administration is unwilling to accept such excuses. The FBI declined to comment on the terminations, but the message is clear—those who drove this misguided effort no longer have a place in the bureau.
This episode fits a troubling pattern. During the Biden years, federal agencies repeatedly targeted pro-life activists, traditional Christians, and parents voicing concerns at school boards. The Richmond memo was no isolated blunder but part of a worldview that equates conservative faith with danger.
Meanwhile, actual threats from radical ideologies often received softer treatment. Such double standards erode public trust in institutions meant to protect, not persecute, the citizenry.
Patel’s leadership signals reform. Cleaning house on those who produced this memo is a necessary step toward restoring the FBI’s focus on genuine threats rather than policing thought and belief. Americans of faith—Catholic, Protestant, and beyond—deserve an agency that upholds the Constitution’s protections, not one that undermines them.
As the Psalmist declared, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
In an age when government overreach has too often targeted the faithful, this truth offers comfort and resolve. Believers must remain vigilant, discerning truth from institutional spin, and holding leaders accountable to defend religious liberty for all.
The firings won’t erase the damage done or fully repair eroded trust overnight. But they represent progress—a rejection of the weaponized bureaucracy that viewed traditional Catholicism as a problem to be managed. For a nation founded on principles of faith and freedom, that’s a welcome development. The real test will be whether broader reforms follow, ensuring the FBI serves justice rather than ideology.
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Jews, Catholics. Soon, they will all be fair game to the democRATs/DemoKKKrats.
All except for that “Religion of Peace.”
Nice
These people really need to feel pain from what they caused.
No doubt they are guilty.
Brennan did say that the 3-letter agencies still have anti-Trump staff embedded.
Comey did say that he speaks with current FBI people all the time.
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