Five FBI analysts, including a supervisory analyst, have been fired following their involvement in drafting a 2023 memo that labeled "radical-traditionalist Catholics" as potential domestic extremists. The memo, which cited information from the Southern Poverty Law Center, was quickly retracted by the FBI, with then-director Chris Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland distancing themselves from it.
Five FBI analysts, including a supervisory analyst, were terminated on Friday following their involvement in drafting a January 2023 intelligence memo that identified "radical-traditionalist Catholics" as potential violent domestic extremists. The memo, which utilized information from the Southern Poverty Law Center, was quickly disavowed by the FBI, with then-Director Chris Wray stating it was drafted in error and an internal review was launched. Attorney General Merrick Garland also expressed his disapproval of the document.
The creation of the memo is linked to an investigation into Xavier Lopez, a 24-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia, who was arrested in November 2022 on domestic extremism-related charges. Records show Lopez had been on law enforcement's radar since 2018. In early 2022, he began attending Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Chapel in Richmond, Virginia, which was listed in the FBI memo. The FBI deployed an informant to monitor Lopez at the church, stating it was the only opportunity to establish contact. According to a DOJ Inspector General's report, analysts sought to identify warning signs of radicalization. While the memo suggested a potential link between white supremacist ideology and attraction to certain religious groups, including Our Lady of Fatima, analysts acknowledged a lack of definitive substantiation. One analyst noted Lopez's prior status as an "unstable, dangerous individual" predated any association with Catholic entities. Records from Lopez's case suggest his interest in the church may have been to find a girlfriend, with one August 2022 post on Gab indicating he was looking for a partner.
The FBI declined to comment on the firings.
The firings highlight ongoing concerns about potential political bias within federal law enforcement agencies and the methods used in domestic extremism investigations, impacting public trust and the perception of the FBI's neutrality.