In recent allegations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is said to have placed parents attending school board meetings, pro-life advocates, and practicing Catholics under scrutiny in an attempt to portray them as threats to domestic security.
These claims were brought to light through reports from whistleblowers within the organization.
The revelations were made public by House Judiciary Chairman, Republican Jim Jordan from Ohio, during a press conference early Thursday. The briefing took place just moments prior to a committee hearing where three FBI informants were slated to testify.
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Whistleblowers revealed that the FBI’s Washington, D.C. headquarters had allegedly manipulated the rest of the organization to pursue a politically motivated agenda. Chairman Jordan relayed the whistleblowers’ accounts, describing a disturbing image of the government’s alleged overreach.
According to Jordan, “If you’re a parent attending a school board meeting; if you’re a pro-lifer praying at a clinic, or you’re a Catholic simply going to mass, you are a target of the government, a target of the FBI.”
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He further claimed that authorities amplified their inquiries to classify these individuals as violent extremists.
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The committee responsible for these revelations has been in communication with more than two dozen FBI insiders, out of which three are scheduled for public testimonies before the committee later Thursday.
These whistleblowers did not escape unscathed from their revelations, with claims of retaliation within the bureau after they chose to break their silence.
Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, expanded upon the whistleblowers’ allegations. Gaetz supported the claim that the “rot” within the FBI primarily originated from its D.C. headquarters.
He quoted a whistleblower saying, “[A whistleblower] described the conflict that existed as the Washington field office put pressure on other field offices around the country to engage in law enforcement work without predication.”
In search of a response to these severe allegations, Fox News Digital approached the FBI for a statement. However, the organization did not offer an immediate reply.
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In the spotlight at Thursday’s hearing will be FBI special agent Garret O’Boyle, former FBI special agent Steve Friend, and FBI staff operations specialist Marcus Allen. These individuals, who have spoken up about the alleged bias within the FBI, are scheduled to provide further information and detail to their claims.
The role of the FBI, its management, and potential political bias are coming under intense scrutiny. There are also ongoing investigations into the FBI over “Russiagate“, Hunter Biden’s laptop, and their influence over Twitter.
The allegations paint a troubling picture, suggesting the FBI is either part of a “deep state” or that individuals are acting on their own bias based on their political or religious foundations.
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They weren’t honest with us. pic.twitter.com/o29Qx5qbbL
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) May 17, 2023