Priests for Life filed a Freedom of Information request for details related to the Biden administration's "targeting" of pro-life supporters and the government's "increased scrutiny" of traditional Catholics.
The FOI request was announced Tuesday by the organization.
"We want to know exactly how they are using our taxpayer dollars to go after groups like ours and activists just like us, who is involved, and who has been targeted," said Frank Pavone, the organization's national director.
"Republicans in Congress, with the help of courageous whistleblowers, have brought to light in recent months that the FBI is targeting 'traditional Catholics,' sometimes even enlisting the help of pastors and diocesan church officials. We are demanding more information about that as well.
"We want to see the memos; we want to know about the communications they have undertaken to pursue American citizens based on their religious beliefs and practices. ... We also want to know what members of the hierarchy have been complicit in this."
The group filed its demand through the American Freedom Law Center.
"We have seen an unprecedented attack against 'traditional' Catholics and pro-lifers under the Biden administration," said Rob Muise, senior counsel for the organization. "Biden and his attorney general, Merrick Garland, have weaponized the Department of Justice, which includes the FBI, to target peaceful law-abiding citizens because they are political adversaries.
"Meanwhile, federal law enforcement authorities turn a blind eye to the observed and well-documented violence of left-wing radical groups associated with Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement because this administration considers them political allies.
"These police state tactics must stop. We intend to use the Freedom of Information Act to shine a light on these dark tactics of the Department of Justice."
Pavone, a longtime anti-abortion activist, said on Newsmax in August that American Catholics need to embrace the conservative movement instead of liberalism.
Pavone cited his defrocking for his political engagement as an example of why more Catholics need to hold fast to their values.
"Unless we embrace what conservative politics in the United States are saying and doing right now — that we have a tyrannical takeover of America in this Democrat Party [and] we've got to get them out — we're not going to have religious freedom," Pavone said.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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