CatholicVote, Judicial Watch sue FBI, DOJ for ignoring FOIA requests for docs targeting Catholics
A Catholic advocacy group and a nonprofit organization have filed a lawsuit against the FBI and Department of Justice for failing to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests regarding investigations into "radical-traditionalist Catholics." This legal action addresses concerns stemming from an internal FBI document that linked specific traditionalist religious practices with white supremacist and anti-Semitic ideologies, relying on data from a controversial advocacy group. The plaintiffs argue that this characterization threatens religious freedom and demands transparency to uncover potential bias within federal law enforcement agencies. The core dispute centers on the government’s refusal to disclose communications concerning terms related to the Catholic Church, including references to the Latin Mass and the Second Vatican Council. The plaintiffs contend that federal agencies have neglected their statutory obligations to process these requests, thereby hiding the extent of any profiling or ideological targeting. By seeking a court order to compel the release of records, the lawsuit aims to expose whether partisan agendas are influencing investigative priorities and to determine if anti-Catholic sentiment is present at high levels of government. This case is critically relevant to open_data because it highlights the tension between government transparency and the suppression of sensitive political or religious data. It underscores how open data requests serve as essential tools for citizens to verify the neutrality and legality of state surveillance. The outcome will significantly impact public trust, demonstrating whether federal agencies can be held accountable for potentially discriminatory data classification and ensuring that religious expression remains protected from being covertly categorized as a security threat.
Source: christianpost.comPublished on 2023-04-29