Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has co-authored a letter with Senator Chuck Grassley requesting answers regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) targeting of certain Catholic groups.
Senator Scott’s letter revitalizes an effort to review the FBI’s potentially anti-Catholic actions after reports alleging such behavior emerged earlier in 2023.
In a declassified memorandum from the FBI’s Richmond office, officials spoke of the need to monitor certain catholic groups for their “extremist” beliefs.
The report’s release unleashed a wave of criticism on the FBI, primarily from Republicans, who claim the governmental agency is being weaponized to persecute conservatives.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is one such Republican, previously claiming “the government has been weaponized against those who dare disagree with the controlling party’s agenda.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray claimed he ordered the bureau delete the report as soon as he became aware of it.
However, recent investigative reports from the US House Committee on the Judiciary allege further records detailing intra-FBI operations relating to Catholic investigations were purposefully deleted.
In light of such report, Scott’s letter requests Director Wray explain why records relating to the FBI’s Catholic investigations were erased.
“The FBI must provide an immediate explanation for its order to delete records related to this incident, which not only obstructs congressional oversight, but also means the FBI’s internal review itself did not have access to documents that may have provided critical information on the incident,” reads the letter.
Additionally, the Senators want answers as to why new reports of additional deleted documents contradict Wray’s original claims that only one anti-Catholic FBI memorandum was produced.
“It's unacceptable for Director Wray and his buddies to destroy documents to cover up the truth behind the anti-Catholic memo they created,” commented Scott via X.
It's unacceptable for Director Wray and his buddies to destroy documents to cover up the truth behind the anti-Catholic memo they created.
We deserve the TRUTH, and I won't stop fighting until we get it.https://t.co/g78KVBTnfv
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 3, 2024
Moreover, the letter inquires upon the FBI’s reliance on the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) when gathering intelligence.
The SPLC has been repeatedly criticized by Republicans for being a radically progressive group bent on persecuting conservatives.
