Weaponization Working Group Releases Report on 2023 FBI Richmond Field Office Memo That Targeted Non-Mainstream Catholics

Today, the Justice Department's Weaponization Working Group issued a report detailing how, under the previous Administration, the FBI's Richmond Field Office associated beliefs held by many Catholics with domestic extremism and investigated two priests as a result. The report focuses on the production and circulation of an internal assessment known as the "Richmond Domain Perspective." This assessment documented the purported rise of domestic extremism among those who hold conservative beliefs associated with a wide variety of Catholics. It also documented the investigation into two priests and the FBI's surveillance of one of them.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14147 to eliminate the political weaponization of federal agencies. To many Americans, the Richmond Domain Perspective came to embody the misuse and weaponization of government power.

After reviewing a substantial volume of internal emails, assessments, and investigative records, the Working Group concludes that the Biden FBI engaged in improper and unjustified law enforcement and intelligence activity, including:

• Agents made extensive inquiries into two priests and monitored their travel and communications. The FBI ultimately found no link to criminal activity or violent extremism.
• The FBI relied on biased and unverified materials, including Southern Poverty Law Center publications and foreign intelligence materials, without assessing their credibility. Internal reviews later concluded that the product improperly conflated religious doctrine with violent extremism and ignored First Amendment concerns.
• The FBI's leadership took minimal corrective action after the Richmond Domain Perspective. Despite headquarters acknowledging the Perspective's flaws, employees involved received positive performance reviews, and Richmond leadership openly defended their work. Staff continued refining the Perspective even after it was removed from FBI systems.

The FBI's actions in 2023 were wrong. The Trump Administration, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel are committed to addressing these abuses and preventing their recurrence.

• Executive Order 14147 directed the department to identify and remedy prior weaponization within the federal government. Pursuant to that authority, DOJ has removed key FBI personnel responsible for the Richmond Domain Perspective.
• To prepare this report, the Department reviewed over 1,800 pages of internal records. Attorney General Blanche has granted a limited waiver of privileged materials to allow the public to review the underlying documents.

"This Department of Justice will not tolerate a weaponized bureaucracy that chills First Amendment activity," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. "The individuals who developed the Richmond Domain Perspective are no longer with the Department, and our Working Group's efforts to investigate weaponization under the previous Administration will continue."

"Weaponization will never be tolerated at this FBI," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "Even while those who developed the unacceptable Richmond Catholic memo under the previous administration have been held accountable, releasing information to the public about what occurred under the prior regime is an important part of the process. I want to thank the Weaponization Working Group for their partnership as well as Attorney General Todd Blanche for his leadership addressing these abuses and making sure they never happen again."

"The weaponization of our Government undermines our Democracy and reduces the People's trust in our Nation's institutions that are designed to serve and protect them," said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. "The Richmond Memo was a clear abuse of power, targeting conservative and religious beliefs disfavored by agents of Government who lacked necessary oversight. No more. Under Attorney General Blanche's leadership this Department will have zero tolerance for weaponization."

The Justice Department remains committed to enforcing federal law in a manner consistent with the Constitution and its duty to protect the civil rights of all Americans. Individuals with additional concerns about similar conduct are encouraged to come forward; the Department will evaluate such matters without fear or favor.

Read the report here.