John C. Raines

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John C. Raines (1933–2017) was an American Methodist minister, religion professor, anti-war activist, and whistleblower. He is best known for helping expose FBI abuses after taking part in a 1971 burglary of an FBI office.

Early life
Raines was born in Minneapolis to a wealthy Methodist minister and was raised by a governess in a large house. He studied English at Carleton College, earning his degree in 1955, and then studied Christian social ethics at Union Theological Seminary.

Career
After college, he worked as a Methodist minister in Setauket, Long Island. He later became a religion professor at Temple University, teaching there for more than 40 years.

Political activism
In 1961, Raines joined the civil rights movement and rode as part of the Freedom Riders from St. Louis to Little Rock, an experience that opened his eyes to injustice. He and his wife Bonnie continued to be active in political causes, including protests against the Vietnam War.

While at Temple, he was encouraged to help a plan to break into an FBI office to gather evidence of illegal practices. Raines and Bonnie, together with seven others, planned the operation in their attic. Bonnie posed as a Swarthmore student to gain access, and on March 8, 1971—the night of the Frazier vs. Ali boxing match—the group broke into the FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania. They removed more than 1,000 documents, copied them, and mailed the material to major news outlets and two Democratic officials. The plan was kept quiet, and the participants never met again.

Years later, FBI agents visited the Raines home to ask for help in solving the case. Raines declined. The full story remained hidden until he told investigative journalist Betty Medsger after many years, once the statute of limitations had passed. The documents helped reveal illegal FBI activities and abuses, including COINTELPRO.

Personal life
Raines met Bonnie Muir Raines during a summer break, and they married. Bonnie was a waitress who shared his commitment to social change. They had four children and seven grandchildren. John C. Raines died in Philadelphia in 2017 at age 84.