Catholic Vote and Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Department of Justice and FBI on Thursday after the federal agencies failed to turned over records related to the bureau’s targeting of Catholics.
FOIA requests require agencies to respond within 20 business days or in some “unusual circumstances,” 30 business days. But more than a month has gone by and neither the FBI or DOJ have turned over the records or said they plan to do so.
In February, a leaked memo from the FBI Richmond Field Office exposed the Bureau for targeting Catholics. The memo, which relied on ideologically driven criteria from the discredited and far-left Southern Poverty Law Center, was denounced by CatholicVote as another shocking example of the dangerous weaponization of government agencies against political opponents.
A subpoena issued by Congressman Jim Jordan has already confirmed that the FBI attempted to cultivate ‘sources’ and use local religious organizations as “new avenues for tripwire and source development.” It also confirms that the leaked memo, originally disavowed under oath by Attorney General Garland as an isolated incident initiated by a low-level rogue agent, was actually approved by senior intelligence analysts and distributed to field offices across the country.
This spying on Catholics comes after hundreds of violent attacks have been carried out against pro-life organizations and Catholic churches throughout the country; attacks that have been virtually ignored by the FBI and DOJ. Meanwhile, the DOJ has exerted maximum effort to harass, intimidate and prosecute pro-life advocates to the fullest extent of the law. (CatholicVote)
“Our weaponized and corrupt government agencies have demonstrated a pattern of contempt for justice and the rule of law by prioritizing partisan ideology and agendas over the protection of the American people – in particular those with whom they disagree politically," CatholicVote President Brian Burch said in a statement. "We are demanding transparency from our government and are determined to uncover just how high up the anti-Catholic bigotry goes.”
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