Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors under the Biden administration reportedly exchanged text messages in early 2021 expressing a desire to prosecute Catholic nuns who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C.
The Daily Wire, citing text messages obtained by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and shared with the outlet, reported that the February 2021 exchange involved former DOJ prosecutors Joseph Cooney and Molly Gaston. Both later served as top deputies to Special Counsel Jack Smith in the “Arctic Frost” investigation into Republican activities following the 2020 presidential election.
The texts referenced a New York Times photograph showing religious sisters in traditional habits and veils attending the rally while wearing Trump scarves.
According to the report, Gaston wrote, “I would like to take a special assignment of finding and prosecuting them,” to which Cooney replied, “I’m with you. Although I’d like to prosecute any nun who still wears the head habit.”
The DOJ provided the messages to Grassley as part of his oversight of the “Arctic Frost” probe, which later formed the basis for Smith’s case against President Donald Trump over efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Cooney and Gaston have since left the DOJ and now run a private law firm, “Gaston & Cooney PLLC.” Cooney is running as a Democrat for Congress in Virginia’s 7th district, which falls within the Diocese of Arlington.
The Daily Wire also cited internal messages in which the two prosecutors discussed Catholic practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaston reportedly called it “insane” that Catholics were upset with then-President Joe Biden receiving the Holy Eucharist. Later in the exchange, Cooney noted that someone he knew had been attending daily Mass “since the summer, thankfully without a problem,” then added: “They really shouldn’t be doing that.”
Grassley said in a statement to the outlet that the messages were “appalling” but “not surprising” in light of other disclosures about the Biden-era DOJ.
“Freedom of religion is a cherished First Amendment right enshrined in our Constitution by the Founding Fathers,” the senator said. “I was appalled, but sadly not surprised, to discover evidence of Biden DOJ prosecutors threatening to use the power of the federal justice system to target people of faith.”
“Time and again,” Grassley added, “my oversight has shown the Biden Justice Department, including these prosecutors who went on to advance Jack Smith’s Arctic Frost investigation, showed total disdain for equal justice.”
The report follows earlier disclosures released by Grassley as part of his “Arctic Frost” probe review. As Zeale News previously reported, Grassley has accused the Biden-era FBI of spying on several Republican lawmakers when they were private citizens and improperly collecting phone records from Trump associates.
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