A bureau document subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee revealed Wednesday that the FBI targeted Catholics not only in Richmond, Virginia, but also in Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles. In one instance, an FBI undercover agent reported on an individual who attended a certain Catholic church in California for over a year, according to a letter sent from committee chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to Wray.
The news contradicts an earlier statement from Wray, who said under oath that only one field office was involved.
"Turns out there was more than just the Richmond field office involved. Portland, Los Angeles were also involved in this targeting of pro-life Catholics," Jordan said on American Family Radio Thursday. "You can read through the memo. It was as if you're a pro-life Catholic who engaged in traditional mass, and you think we need a secure border, you were viewed as a radical extremist, according to the FBI."
Jordan isn't immediately moving to perjury charges against Wray. Instead, the FBI director will have the opportunity amend his original testimony.
Two questions for Wray
During the interview on AFR, Jordan told show host Jenna Ellis: "He told us it was sort of a one-off, it was just Richmond. Based on the document now as they've gotten rid of some of the redactions, it looks like that's not the case. So, do you want to amend the testimony you gave in front of the House Judiciary Committee? I think that's Number 1."
The Republican lawmaker said the committee had to threaten contempt before Wray and the FBI gave them a document with fewer redactions than was originally presented. That's another question he has for Wray.
"Number 2 is, why did you redact it in the first place? Why didn't you show us this connection to the L.A. field office and the Portland field office in the first place? Is there some rational explanation or were you just trying to string us along? We think the American people, the taxpayers, are entitled to answers to those kinds of basic questions," he argued.
Jordan pointed out it's been almost a year since his committee first began hearing about the FBI labeling regular Catholic church attenders in this way. "This is what Democrats love to do as well – just run out the clock and hope that they aren't held accountable," he stated.
According to Jordan, that's not likely to happen this time around. "We are looking forward to seeing what Christopher Wray's response is to this letter," he said.
