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Blackburn, Grassley Lead Colleagues In Demanding ‘Coherent And Complete Response’ On Anti-Catholic FBI Richmond Memo

February 5, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Upon discovering new details and discrepancies surrounding an anti-Catholic memo prepared by analysts in the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia field office, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) led their Republican colleagues in a reignited push for answers.

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Blackburn and her colleagues are scrutinizing revelations that top FBI officials ordered analysts to permanently delete files related to the internal memo. Any document destruction would hinder the FBI’s already insufficient internal investigation and obstruct congressional oversight.

The senators are also pressing Wray about the accuracy of his congressional testimony that the memo was “a single product by a single field office.” This statement conflicts with information the FBI has since provided Grassley and the House Judiciary Committee, which confirmed not only that multiple field offices contributed, but also, that an analyst responsible for the first anti-Catholic memo prepared a second one for distribution to the entire FBI.

“We are writing about the FBI’s failure to provide information requested by members relating to the now infamous Richmond memo while misleading this body with what little information it did provide,” wrote the senators. “We recently also learned that the FBI permanently deleted critical records related to the memo, and one of the authors of the Richmond memo prepared a second, external report in coordination with headquarters that was intended to be circulated outside the Richmond office to the full FBI.”

“This information further calls into question your sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on July 12, 2023, and the integrity of the FBI’s internal review,” continued the senators. “The FBI must immediately provide a coherent and complete response to the Senate.”

BACKGROUND:

  • For months, the FBI used its ongoing internal review of the document as an excuse to shirk congressional oversight.
  • Now that the review has concluded, Senator Blackburn and her colleagues are raising concerns about its narrow scope.
  • Their letter outlines necessary actions and thorough review procedures the FBI must take to foster needed transparency and accountability.

ADDITIONAL CO-SIGNERS:

  • Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah) also signed the letter.

Read the senators’ letter here.