Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has uncovered a shocking abuse of power by the FBI under former Director Christopher Wray, who lied to Congress about the extent of spying on traditional Catholics labeled “domestic terrorists” for their pro-life and family values. The FBI’s Richmond memo, part of a broader operation involving multiple field offices and over 1,000 employees, relied on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) biased “hate map” to justify this unconstitutional surveillance. Wray’s deception and the SPLC’s role in targeting a faith group demand accountability, including stripping the SPLC’s tax-exempt status.
Grassley’s June 3, 2025, findings revealed 13 additional documents and five attachments mirroring the Richmond memo’s anti-Catholic bias, distributed to over 1,000 FBI personnel, contradicting Wray’s 2023 Senate testimony that it was “a single product by a single field office.” Grassley posted on X, “Appears Wray lied 2cong,” adding, “I’m determined to get to the bottom of this.” He told Fox News, “If people that lie to Congress aren’t held accountable, it encourages more lies.” The memo targeted Catholics for beliefs like being “pro-life” and “pro-family,” leading to interviews of church leaders and surveillance.
Catholic leaders decried this violation. William Donohue of the Catholic League said, “The FBI’s use of SPLC’s radical agenda to spy on loyal Catholics is a grotesque First Amendment violation.” Bishop Joseph Strickland called it “a scandalous abuse,” urging, “Catholics deserve justice.” The SPLC, a tax-exempt organization, fueled this by labeling Christian groups as “hate groups,” enabling the FBI’s overreach.
Grassley’s December 4, 2023, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing exposed Wray’s evasions. Despite evidence from Buffalo, Louisville, Portland, and Milwaukee field offices, Wray claimed the memo was isolated. Grassley’s January 31, 2024, letter with 15 Republican senators demanded answers on deleted records, with then-Deputy Director Paul Abbate ordering their “permanent removal.” Grassley fumed, “The FBI’s contempt for oversight is unfathomable.” The House Judiciary Committee’s December 4, 2024, report confirmed the memo’s nationwide reach, targeting Catholics for their faith.
The SPLC’s role is indefensible. Its “hate map” provided a veneer of legitimacy to the FBI’s unconstitutional actions, weaponizing a tax-exempt organization against religious freedoms. Former FBI Agent Stuart Kaplan called it “a cover-up of anti-Catholic bias enabled by SPLC’s activism.” Congress must revoke the SPLC’s 501(c)(3) status, as its partisan targeting of faith groups undermines its nonprofit purpose and fuels government abuse.
Wray’s lies and the SPLC’s complicity erode public trust. Grassley’s December 9, 2024, “no confidence” letter blasted Wray’s “disdain for oversight.” Congress must hold Wray accountable through subpoenas and summon him and former Attorney General Merrick Garland to testify. Simultaneously, the IRS should strip the SPLC’s tax-exempt status for its role in this scandal. Catholics and all Americans deserve protection from such politicized surveillance. Grassley’s leadership in the Senate Judiciary Committee must drive these actions to ensure no director or organization can weaponize federal power against faith communities again.
