--- title: "DOJ report criticizes FBI memo targeting Catholic ideology" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-report-criticizes-fbi-memo-targeting-catholic-ideology" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/doj-report-criticizes-fbi-memo-targeting-catholic-ideology" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-report-criticizes-fbi-memo-targeting-catholic-ideology.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/doj-report-criticizes-fbi-memo-targeting-catholic-ideology" category: "Politics" published: "2026-09-01T13:05:23.107Z" source_reported: "2026-09-01T09:00:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-01T13:05:23.107Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 60 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-01T15:15:20.529802+00:00" --- # DOJ report criticizes FBI memo targeting Catholic ideology *Justice Department calls internal assessment a 'grave failure' and 'abuse of power'.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to a named body (DOJ report) and corroborated by multiple outlets. - Craft 60 of 100, higher is better. Reporting includes quotes from officials and details the investigation's origins and findings. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. Headlines and opening paragraphs suggest a strong partisan framing of the DOJ report's findings. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - A Department of Justice report found an FBI memo linking "radical-traditionalist Catholic ideology" to domestic violent extremism was a "grave failure" and an "abuse of power." - The FBI's investigation began with Xavier Louis Lopez, who posted online about violent and racially motivated ideologies. - The FBI investigated priests associated with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) after Lopez began attending their chapel. - One outlet claims the DOJ report "falsely accuses FBI of anti-Catholic bias." A Department of Justice report has criticised an internal FBI memo that suggested a link between "radical-traditionalist Catholic ideology" and domestic violent extremism. The DOJ report, released by the Weaponization Working Group, described the memo as a "grave failure" and an "abuse of power." The FBI's investigation that led to the memo began with an individual named Xavier Louis Lopez. Lopez had posted online about violent and racially motivated ideologies. After his release from state prison in June 2021, Lopez began attending a chapel affiliated with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). The FBI subsequently investigated priests associated with the SSPX after Lopez started attending their chapel. ## Disagreement on DOJ report's claims One outlet claims the DOJ report "falsely accuses FBI of anti-Catholic bias." The other reports do not contain this claim. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports below mention the claim that the DOJ report "falsely accuses FBI of anti-Catholic bias." ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 100% (7) 2 of 9 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-01T15:15:20.529802+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 12 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-01T16:00:18.864Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right - Right-rated reports focused on the Department of Justice's criticism of the FBI memo. The Blaze, in its full report, stated the memo was a "grave failure" and an "abuse of power," quoting Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. These reports highlighted that the FBI targeted adherents of "traditionalist Catholicism" and suggested a link between certain Catholic beliefs and violent extremism. Several reports noted that the FBI continued the project even after a whistleblower exposed the bureau's actions in 2023. The Washington Examiner's digest stated Democrats spied on priests and refused accountability until President Trump fired them. The New American and Conservative Review mentioned the DOJ report was published pursuant to President Trump's Executive Order 14147, "Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government." **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 3 - mixed: 3 - high: 1 - unknown: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [catholicleague.org](https://catholicleague.org/doj-report-on-fbis-anti-catholic-cell-group) — DOJ REPORT ON FBI’S ANTI-CATHOLIC CELL GROUP - Catholic League - [LifeNews.com](https://lifenews.com/2026/09/01/joe-biden-rewarded-fbi-agents-who-spied-on-pro-life-catholics) — Joe Biden Rewarded FBI Agents Who Spied on Pro-Life Catholics - [Washington Examiner](https://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/4706306/richmond-memo-shows-why-the-weaponization-investigation-was-necessary) — Richmond memo shows why the weaponization inquiry was necessary - [capitalisminstitute.org](https://capitalisminstitute.org/doj-calls-fbis-radical-traditionalist-catholic-memo-a-serious-failure-of-constitutional-duty) — DOJ calls FBI’s “radical-traditionalist Catholic” memo a ser - [The New American](https://thenewamerican.com/us/politics/doj-report-details-fbis-richmond-catholic-memo-that-targeted-radical-traditionalist-catholics) — DOJ Report Details FBI’s “Richmond Catholic Memo” That Targeted “Radical Traditionalist Catholics” - [LifeSiteNews](https://lifesitenews.com/episodes/in-depth-trump-doj-report-into-biden-fbi-targeting-traditional-catholics) — IN DEPTH: Trump DOJ report into Biden FBI targeting traditional Catholics - [The Blaze](https://theblaze.com/news/biden-fbi-continued-developing-extremism-tool-targeting-catholics-despite-damning-expose) — Trump's DOJ exposes how the Biden FBI didn't stop targeting Catholics even after getting caught - [Conservative Review](https://conservativereview.com/trump-s-doj-exposes-how-the-biden-fbi-didn-t-stop-targeting-catholics-even-after-getting-caught-2677798780.html) — Trump's DOJ exposes how the Biden FBI didn't stop targeting Catholics even after getting caught - [friendlyatheist.com](https://friendlyatheist.com/p/justice-department-weaponization) — Justice Department “Weaponization” report falsely accuses FBI of anti-Catholic bias ## Questions **What did the Department of Justice report say about the FBI memo?** The Department of Justice report described the FBI's internal memo, which linked "radical-traditionalist Catholic ideology" to domestic violent extremism, as a "grave failure" and an "abuse of power." The report criticised the FBI Richmond Field Office for its actions. **What prompted the FBI's investigation?** The FBI's investigation began with an individual named Xavier Louis Lopez, who had posted online about violent and racially motivated ideologies. After his release from prison, Lopez began attending a chapel affiliated with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), leading the FBI to investigate priests associated with the group. **Did all reports agree on the DOJ's findings?** No, while most reports focused on the DOJ's criticism of the FBI memo, one outlet claimed that the DOJ report "falsely accuses FBI of anti-Catholic bias." This specific claim was not mentioned in the other reports. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-report-criticizes-fbi-memo-targeting-catholic-ideology. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "DOJ report criticizes FBI memo targeting Catholic ideology", https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-report-criticizes-fbi-memo-targeting-catholic-ideology