Fred Phelps, founder of the viciously antigay Westboro Baptist Church and promulgator of such atrocious ideas as LGBT people being responsible for all the world’s evils, unsurprisingly had a testy relationship with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the FBI has now released its 250-page file on the religious leader. It dates back to 1967, when a confidential informant told the Bureau that Phelps, whose Westboro Church was already more than a decade old, needed “psychiatric care.”
As The Hill reports, things really got going in 1993, though, when Phelps remained on the radar of investigators every year until 2006.
Related: Fred Phelps’ Five Most Despicable Acts
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Sometimes contact was initiated by members of Westboro to alert the FBI of threats against the church, a tactic the Bureau saw through as early as 1993, when it wrote to a U.S. district attorney:
“It would appear that Mr. Phelps is intentionally provoking these types of responses. Large amounts of money and investigative time can potentially be wasted investigating these threat letters. Historically, very few, if any, of these types of cases have been prosecuted in the District of Kansas.
The FBI does have the responsibility to investigate and prevent potential violence against any person regardless of their religious or political views, however.”
Phelps is referred throughout the documents as a “zealot” and “radical extremist,” his behavior “almost militant,” and his church a “hate group.”
On a total side note, the file also shows the Bureau passing around the Wikipedia page for the Westboro Baptist Church, telling agents it had a “pretty good rundown regarding members and family.” It’s nice to know the FBI and undergrads have something in common.
You can find the full document here:
Giancarlo85
The shocking part is he was somewhat reasonable in his younger years and worked as a lawyer for the NAACP, and he denounced racism. That all changed as time went. He seems to have went crazy during the 1980s.
jwtraveler
This guy is dead. Why are we still talking about him? He’s irrelevant.
Hillers
@Giancarlo85: He denounced racism publicly, but according to his estranged son, Nate Phelps, he sang a different tune at home. Phelps was one of those people who only seemed to thrive when fighting, whatever the cause.
jantheman4903
@jwtraveler: very relavent as he left a huge family full of hate many of whom are lawyers and educated in being JUST on the side of the law. plus tho i believe he was mentally ill (no excuse) and limited physically, his daughters ect are not ie shirley. need to understand what he advocated to know what he passed on..IMO. have a good day!
Giancarlo85
@Hillers: Perhaps, but even the NAACP gave him an award I think in 1980 before he started showing his true colors I guess.
Low Country Boy
@jwtraveler: I agree. He is dead, and so goeth his “church.” Do not give your perceived enemies any more power (or publicity) because to makes them stronger.
jwtraveler
@jantheman4903: Have you ever been to one of their demonstrations? Eight people is a big turnout for them. They attract a lot of attention with their offensive rhetoric, but they accomplish absolutely nothing. Best to ignore them.
transiteer
Phelps was an unhappy ignorant hateful little man. Now he’s a rotting corpse in a box. Sounds like a fitting end to a piece of sh*t.
Sluggo2007
He’s downstairs getting a hot poker up his butt.
GayEGO
He is getting to be more and more of a looney-tunes. It is hard to imagine that he has any common sense left. Living in Kansas with the Wicked Witch of the North as well as having been brainwashed by the Westboro Baptist Church, he needs the service of a mental institution.
1EqualityUSA
GayEGO, He’s dead.
Saint Law
Much like ISIS and for the same reason, he and his Church have given gay rights in the US a huge boost, for the simple reason that very few people want to be associated with their insane bigotry.