FBI Richmond field office memo profiles 'Radical Traditionalist Catholics' as extremism threat
A January 2023 internal FBI Richmond memo, later released by a House Judiciary subcommittee, proposed using sources within Catholic parishes to investigate ties between 'radical traditionalist Catholic' ideology and racially motivated violent extremism. The FBI rescinded the memo after public disclosure.
On January 23, 2023, the FBI's Richmond field office issued an intelligence product titled 'Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities.' The document, citing the Southern Poverty Law Center and other open-source materials, recommended developing sources within Catholic parishes and dioceses. After whistleblower Kyle Seraphin leaked the memo to UncoverDC in February 2023, the FBI withdrew it and Director Christopher Wray testified that it 'did not meet our exacting standards.' A December 2023 report by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government found the memo had been disseminated more broadly than the FBI initially disclosed and that documents relied on by Richmond analysts cited religious practices, including attendance at the Traditional Latin Mass, as indicators of extremism.