Messages from 2021 raise questions about internal communications as lawmakers examine alleged religious bias during prior administration.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Text messages released by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) show two former Justice Department prosecutors discussing the possibility of prosecuting Catholic nuns, according to documents first reported by the Daily Wire.
The communications involve Joseph Cooney and Molly Gaston, who were part of the prosecution team led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The messages, dated February 2021, were exchanged as the attorneys reviewed media coverage related to the Jan. 6 events.
According to the report, the texts referenced a New York Times image depicting religious sisters attending a political rally while wearing traditional habits. In the exchange, Gaston wrote, “I would like to take a special assignment of finding and prosecuting them,” to which Cooney responded, “I’m with you. Although I’d like to prosecute any nun who still wears the head habit.”
The messages were included in a broader set of materials obtained by Grassley as part of ongoing congressional oversight efforts.
The revelations come amid continued scrutiny of how federal authorities applied the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a 1994 law prohibiting interference with access to reproductive health services. The statute has been used in recent years to bring cases involving protests outside abortion clinics.
Separately, a 2023 internal FBI document that circulated publicly described concerns about what it termed “radical traditionalist Catholic ideology.” The memo, published by UncoverDC through former agent Kyle Seraphin, outlined investigative considerations related to potential domestic threats.
Additional reporting from The Gateway Pundit alleged that the FBI conducted outreach to Catholic clergy as part of broader intelligence efforts, a claim that has been debated by lawmakers.
Gaston was dismissed from her position in January 2025 following a change in administration. Cooney, who previously submitted a proposal in 2021 to investigate President Donald Trump and associates, is currently running for Congress in Virginia.
The Justice Department has not publicly commented on the content of the messages. Lawmakers continue to review the materials as part of broader inquiries into federal law enforcement practices during the period.
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