Several FBI analysts associated with a 2023 memo that warned about a potential threat from Catholic extremists were dismissed on Friday. This information was shared by their lawyer. The terminations are part of ongoing actions under the leadership of FBI Director Kash Patel. Among those fired were four intelligence analysts and a supervisory analyst. The FBI did not comment on the matter.

The lawyer representing the fired employees, David Laufman, stated: This action is manifestly unjust, completely unsupported by the facts, and subverts standard FBI policy and procedure. He added that these analysts had provided exceptional service in their roles to protect national security.

The controversial memo originated from the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia, field office in January 2023. It quickly became a point of contention, as Republicans in Congress frequently referenced it to argue that the FBI, under the Biden administration, targeted conservative groups. Former Director Chris Wray consistently rejected these claims. The FBI noted that the document was retracted soon after its release and an internal review was initiated. Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his disapproval publicly, calling the memo appalling.

Earlier investigations by the Justice Department into the memo criticized the methodology used but did not find intentional wrongdoing by the analysts involved. These terminations are seen as part of a larger effort under Patel, a known Trump supporter, who has been removing staff deemed not in sync with the prevailing administration’s policies. This wave of firings follows previous actions in February when the FBI dismissed counterintelligence agents connected to an investigation into former President Donald Trump over classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The Richmond memo derived from a domestic terrorism probe and investigated possible connections between Radical Traditionalist Catholic beliefs and racially motivated extremists. It flagged the potential for violence and outlined new surveillance strategies. FBI leaders condemned the findings once the document surfaced publicly.

An internal review reported to Congress in 2023 found that everyone involved in the drafting and approval of the memo did not follow proper analytical standards. The document’s content was said to equate religious interest with violent extremist ideology without valid evidence. The failure to follow standards contributed to an impression that the FBI’s activities were based on religious beliefs, contrary to its fundamental principle of not basing investigations solely on First Amendment rights.

The Department of Justice Inspector General’s report in 2024 concluded that, although there were methodological errors, there was no evidence of malicious intent.