From Crux:
Almost a year after the FBI’s supposed targeting of traditional Catholics came to light, a conservative Catholic organization, led by a laicized priest, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to find out just how far the FBI’s investigation went.
Priests for Life announced that it had filed the FOIA request on Nov. 28. The organization is led by Frank Pavone, a staunch anti-abortion activist who was removed from the priesthood by the Vatican last November for disobedience to his local bishop and what was considered inappropriate social media activity.
The FBI’s supposed targeting of traditional Catholics came to light last February, after a memo from the bureau titled “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities” was leaked online.
In a statement, Pavone said the FOIA request is to know the full extent of the investigation.
“We want to know exactly how they are using our taxpayer dollars to go after groups like ours and activists just like us, who is involved, and who has been targeted,” Pavone said.
The leaked memo was produced by the bureau’s Richmond, Virginia, office. In essence, the document highlights potential links between traditional Catholics and violent extremist groups.
At the time, Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, called the memo “troubling and offensive. That sentiment was later echoed by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chair of the U.S. bishops Committee on Religious Liberty.
