Attorney General Merrick Garland distanced himself Wednesday from an FBI memo labeling some practicing Catholics as extremists who deserve scrutiny, saying he was “appalled” by the insinuation.
“Catholics are not extremists,” he said, bristling at any suggestion that he would have countenanced targeting Americans because of the nature of their religious beliefs.
He pointed out that his grandmother escaped the Holocaust — which claimed two of her siblings — and he said his service as attorney general is in part a way of “repaying this country for the debt my family owes.”
“The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous, is so absurd,” Mr. Garland said in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee.
The FBI, which is under Mr. Garland’s purview, has faced criticism after its Richmond office prepared a memo on domestic threats and said special attention should be paid to Catholics who have a devotion to a particular version of the mass, the Catholic service.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the memo was wrong and was the product of a single bureau office, but the Judiciary Committee last month said there is evidence other field offices worked on the memo with the Richmond office.
When first prodded at Wednesday’s hearing on his thoughts on “traditional” Catholics as threats, Mr. Garland tried to demur.
“I have no idea what traditional means here,” he said.
But Rep. Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey Republican, continued to prod, drawing a firmer denunciation.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.