The FBI examined more than 1,000 religious organizations, members of the press, public officials, and political candidates in so-called “assessments” that require no evidence of a crime, according to a confidential and closely guarded report exclusively obtained by Racket News.
The January 2026 government report— which directs recipients to destroy its contents when no longer needed — spells out new details of the FBI’s private digging into the personal lives of Americans not accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
The report by the Government Accountability Office, an independent watchdog that aides in congressional oversight of the executive branch, examined the bureau’s use of assessments — investigative tools that allow for warrantless surveillance, confidential informants, and other methods.
Critics say FBI assessments amount to fishing expeditions.
The GAO discovered that dozens of news media organizations and members, more than 100 religious organizations and leaders, and more than 500 public officials had been subjected to the FBI’s special scrutiny from 2018 through 2024.
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