FBI fires analysts who worked on “Richmond memo” about Catholic extremist ideology, sources say

The FBI has fired at least five analysts who were involved in the creation of a withdrawn internal 2023 intelligence memo on “Radical Traditionalist Catholic” ideology that drew the ire of President Trump’s allies, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.

The analysts’ firings were reported earlier by MS Now. 

The FBI declined to comment on the firings.

The so-called “Richmond Memo,” which was a product of the FBI’s Richmond field office, explored links between ethnically motivated violent extremists and radical Catholic views. 

An internal investigation of the memo, which was withdrawn under former FBI Director Chris Wray, determined there was no evidence of malicious intent by those who drafted it, but found that it failed to adhere to proper standards and contained some errors in professional judgment.

As a result of the internal review, the FBI instituted a number of corrective actions to bolster approval processes for intelligence products. The employees involved were also admonished.

A separate review by the Justice Department’s then-inspector general also did not find any evidence that anyone had ordered or directed the analysts to find linkages between violent extremists and certain religions. There was also no evidence to suggest that the analysts made any discriminatory or inappropriate comments.

Nevertheless, the missteps over the memo have long been a focal point for Mr. Trump’s allies, who have said it represents evidence of bias against Christians with conservative values.

The memo was featured in a report released earlier this year by the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, which was created by one of Mr. Trump’s executive orders.

The FBI “investigated, monitored, tracked and scrutinized traditional Catholics who had engaged in no criminal misconduct,” the report claims. 

The report also alleged that the FBI Richmond office showed a “misplaced reliance” on the Southern Poverty Law Center in its analysis. 

That nonprofit now separately faces criminal charges over allegations by the Justice Department that it lied to donors and banks when it paid informants to infiltrate hate groups. The SPLC has denied wrongdoing and alleged the prosecution is vindictive.

The latest FBI firings, which have continued since last year, mark the latest in a string of removals of bureau employees who were involved in cases or other matters opposed by the Trump administration. 

The FBI also earlier fired everyone involved in both criminal prosecutions of Mr. Trump over his retention of classified records and his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The Justice Department also earlier this year fired several prosecutors who worked on FACE Act cases involving defendants accused of hindering access to reproductive health clinics.