In recent years, the FBI has been accused of targeting conservatives. Republicans have accused the FBI of exaggerating the number of domestic terrorism investigations in order to make the right look bad. Now, new allegations have surfaced regarding the agency’s alleged treatment of a military veteran and the organization he founded.
Allegations Against FBI
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray in September, raising concerns about allegations made by an alleged whistleblower. According to the unnamed source, the bureau designated former US Army Green Beret Mike Glover and his organization, American Contingency, as domestic terrorists in 2020.
Jordan claimed the whistleblower said the FBI launched an investigation into Glover and determined he wasn’t a terrorist, but the veteran’s organization retained the terror designation. The congressman accused federal investigators of looking into the former special forces soldier’s military records and disability rating.
Glover appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show recently and spoke out about what the whistleblower said. The veteran told the host that he suspected something was wrong because he had been kicked off several social media sites. He went over what Jordan claimed the whistleblower claimed and said, “It’s horrible.”
The retired service member explained that he chose to start an organization after leaving the military because he is “first and foremost an entrepreneur.” He stated that he believes he is being targeted by his own country and that the FBI is also targeting his mother. Glover told Carlson that his mother’s Facebook account had been deactivated because “the FBI communicated with social media and destroyed all of the social media accounts.”
Glover did not say where she got the information about the FBI contacting social media organizations. He didn’t show Carlson any proof, and Jordan didn’t mention it in his letter.
#BREAKING: Whistleblower Reveals FBI Labeled Veteran-Led Organization as Domestic Terrorist Group pic.twitter.com/v4an06dWQB
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) September 15, 2022
The FBI Responds
When Jordan questioned the FBI about the allegations, the bureau issued a statement saying that it does not “comment on any specific groups or individuals.” The bureau went on to say that it lacks the authority to label anyone or any group a “domestic terrorist.”
According to the FBI statement, the agency cannot investigate any group or individual based on their use of protected First Amendment speech. The agency only conducts investigations when someone is accused of committing or threatening to commit a violent act that endangers US national security. Furthermore, the FBI stated that it works to “uphold the Constitution. One does not come at the expense of the other.”
Republicans in Congress are skeptical. The House is currently investigating the agency in order to discover the truth.