FBI Director Kash Patel fired a group of bureau intelligence analysts Friday over a rescinded 2023 memo about “radical traditionalist Catholic ideology” that has long been a focus of Republicans despite an investigation that found no anti-Catholic bias, three people familiar with the matter told MS NOW.
The analysts worked in the FBI’s Richmond office, where the memo originated, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to sensitive personnel issues. They said at least five analysts were included in the firings.
The 2023 memo was titled, “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities.”
The memo argued that some white supremacists and racially motivated violent extremists were attempting to recruit a small subset of “radical traditionalist Catholics” and suggested that Catholic congregations could present opportunities for intelligence gathering.
It stemmed in part from a domestic terrorism investigation of a Virginia violent extremist who joined a Catholic sect not recognized by the Vatican, according to public records.
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Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for MS NOW.
Carol Leonnig is a senior investigative reporter with MS NOW.
