The FBI fired five intelligence analysts Friday over their role in a 2023 memo that labeled traditional Catholics as potential violent extremists — the latest purge under Director Kash Patel’s leadership.
The terminated employees included four intelligence analysts and one supervisory analyst, according to their attorney David Laufman.
“This action is manifestly unjust, completely unsupported by the facts, and subverts standard FBI policy and procedure. These individuals deserved far better for the exceptional and faithful public service they rendered to protect our country.”
The January 2023 intelligence product from the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia field office ignited a political firestorm after it warned of threats from so-called “Radical Traditionalist Catholic” ideology and suggested new avenues for source development within Catholic communities.
Republicans in Congress seized on the memo as evidence the FBI under the Biden administration targeted conservatives based on religious beliefs.
Then-Director Chris Wray denied the charge. The document was quickly retracted and an internal review launched. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the memo “appalling.”
An internal FBI review found all individuals involved “failed to adhere to analytic tradecraft standards” and created the appearance that investigative activity was based on religious affiliation — a violation of First Amendment principles.
A 2024 Justice Department inspector general report summarized the earlier FBI review by noting departures from proper tradecraft but found “no evidence of a malicious intent or an improper purpose.”
The firings are part of a broader personnel purge under Patel, a Trump loyalist who has pushed out dozens of employees over the past year. In February, the FBI fired counterintelligence agents who participated in the investigation into President Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
The FBI declined to comment on the terminations.
