FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

January 6, 2026 

 Contact: HSGACPress_Paul@hsgac.senate.gov, (202) 224-4163 

Chairman Paul Releases Biden-Era FBI Files: An Unverified Tip Led to Nearly Two Years of Surveillance of an Innocent Catholic School Teacher 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) released new documents detailing Biden-era Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s 23-month investigation into Christine Crowder, a Texas Catholic school teacher who was in Washington, D.C. to exercise her First Amendment rights and attend President Trump’s rally on the Ellipse on January 6, 2021. The documents reveal the FBI labeled Crowder, the wife of a Federal Air Marshal, a domestic terrorist solely based on an unverified tip submitted by a former friend despite early investigative results showing negative facial recognition and geolocation search results and no previous criminal or extremist activity.  

Even after initially failing to confirm her identity, the Biden-era FBI subjected Mrs. Crowder to physical surveillance, federal watchlisting, continuous airport surveillance while traveling, and referred her case for prosecution. That referral was made before the FBI could positively identify her and ultimately rested on what proved to be a case of mistaken identity. 

These documents were obtained as part of Chairman Paul’s ongoing investigation into the weaponization of federal watchlists and aviation security programs.  Last year, the Committee held a hearing on the now-terminated Quiet Skies Program, during which Mrs. Crowder’s husband, Mark Crowder, a Federal Air Marshal whistleblower, testified that his own colleagues were ordered to surveil his wife and family minute-by-minute as they traveled. 

Key Findings of the FBI Records Released by Chairman Paul:  

• The FBI opened the investigation into Crowder based on a tip from a former friend. Initial findings indicated negative geolocation, negative facial recognition, and no criminal history or extremist activity.
• Though the FBI acknowledged a need to interview Crowder, they claimed she illegally entered the U.S. Capitol and recommended her for watchlisting and Expanded Selectee status. 
• The FBI physically surveilled Crowder’s house at least four times for the purpose of identifying her and her property. 
• The U.S. Attorney’s Office accepted the case for prosecution solely based on the tip without fully verifying her identity and then recommended the FBI conduct a social media analysis. 
• Nearly two years into the investigation and over a month after a photo from a confidential human source confirmed the case of mistaken identity, the FBI investigation was closed. 

“A free society cannot tolerate a system in which programs and authorities intended to keep the public safe are instead weaponized against them due to mere suspicion,” said Chairman Paul. “The records released today show how an unverified tip that the FBI failed to substantiate led to nearly two years of surveillance of an innocent American. I am grateful for FBI Director Kash Patel’s cooperation in producing these records, and I appreciate Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for ending the Quiet Skies program. The conduct revealed by these documents underscores the need to limit the power of faceless bureaucrats who have too often infringed on the rights of the people.”

“This case is an example of misplaced priorities and everything that went wrong with federal law enforcement in the aftermath of January 6,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “When a Catholic kindergarten teacher from Texas can be surveilled for more than two years simply for being in Washington, D.C., without entering the Capitol, without committing a crime, we have crossed from legitimate investigation into political overreach. That is not equal justice under the law. Senator Paul is right to demand accountability, transparency, and an end to investigations that target Americans for their beliefs or proximity rather than evidence.”

“In June, I ended Quiet Skies and called for a Congressional investigation to unearth further corruption at the expense of the American people and the undermining of US national security. It is clear that the Quiet Skies program was used as a political rolodex of the Biden Administration—weaponized against its political foes and exploited to benefit their well-heeled friends. The Trump Administration is returning TSA to its true mission of being laser-focused on the safety and security of the traveling public,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

You can see a summary and timeline from Chairman Paul, along with original FBI documents here. 

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