More than a dozen Republican attorneys general are warning major U.S. banks for allegedly “unbanking” certain customers because of their religious or political views.
In a letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, along with 14 of his Republican colleagues, issued a letter to Bank of America CEO Brian T. Moynihan. , the company said, “Banks appear to be conditioning access to services to preferred customers.” religious or political views; ”
“Your discriminatory conduct poses a serious threat to free speech and religious freedom, may be unlawful, and has provoked political and regulatory backlash,” the letter sent Monday said. it is written like this. ”banking needs “We assure you that we, our shareholders, and others will be transparent with you and that we will no longer separate customers from their bank accounts based on their speech or religious activities,” the AGs wrote.
Media representative Bill Haldin denied the allegations, saying in a statement that “religious beliefs are not a factor in any financial decisions.”
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“We are proud to provide banking services to nonprofit organizations that partner with diverse faith communities across the country,” a Bank of America representative told Fox News Digital. (AP2013)
“We are proud to provide banking services to nonprofit organizations in diverse faith communities across the United States,” he said.
The AGs allege that Bank of America has previously provided services to gun manufacturers, distributors, and dealers, fossil fuel producers, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contractors, private prisons, and related services. He claims he has refused.
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The letter cites recent reports that the bank worked with the FBI and the U.S. Treasury Department to profile conservative and religious Americans as potential domestic terrorists.
“Bank of America’s actions in canceling conservative bank accounts and even handing over customer purchase information to federal law enforcement violate free speech, religious freedom, and privacy,” Kobach told Fox News Digital. It undermines rights.”
“This is discriminatory and likely illegal. As state attorneys general, we will vigorously defend Americans’ constitutional rights when they are threatened by big business.” .
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Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. (Emily Kriel/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“These agencies are responsible for determining whether someone has shopped at an outdoor store, supported Trump, purchased religious literature, held conservative views on COVID-19 or immigration, or defended freedoms. The institute, which champions free speech, religious freedom and mainstream views on life, has made outrageous use of innocuous information, including whether it has ties to groups like the Alliance, Family Research Council and Ruth. “It is intended to condemn ordinary Americans as potential domestic terrorists,” the letter said.
The letter also cited the House Judiciary’s decision on the weaponization of the federal government, which found that Bank of America “actively participated in financial surveillance” and voluntarily shared sensitive customer information without warrant or notice to customers. It also refers to the subcommittee report.
“Bank of America is using its customers to help federal law enforcement monitor and target millions of conservative Americans, many of whom live in our states,” the letter said. “We are deeply concerned that they are willing to cooperate in violating the constitutional rights and privacy rights of Americans,” the statement read.
But Bank of America said it “followed all applicable laws in our interactions with the Trump Administration’s Treasury Department and law enforcement agencies.”
“These interactions are evidence that the Trump administration’s Treasury Department urgently assembled major banks and law enforcement agencies on January 15, 2021, to gather information about potential criminal activity that could disrupt the upcoming presidential inauguration. We have been cooperating with the committee in assessing whether the legislation we are following is appropriate and should be changed,” the company said.
Bank of America is the nation’s second-largest bank, holding nearly 15% of domestic deposits. (St. Petersburg)
Noting that Bank of America is the second largest bank in the country, owning nearly 15% of all banks, the AGs said, “As attorneys general of each state, we must protect free speech within our borders.” “We have a great interest in preserving the culture of the world.” Domestic deposits.
“You appear to be using this power to hand over the data of your conservative and religious customers to federal law enforcement and even punish them by canceling their accounts. In addition to undermining religious freedom, it is potentially illegal and could lead to investigations, lawsuits, regulations, and political backlash,” they wrote.
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The AG Group, which includes Mississippi, Idaho, Iowa, Alabama, Utah, Texas, Montana, Virginia, Arkansas, South Carolina, South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, and Nebraska, is a bank Within 30 days of receipt by Bank of -Public and other groups’ perceptions of whether the United States considers customer speech or religious behavior as a component of its policies;
We also urge the bank to update its terms of service to state that it will not discriminate against customers based on religious or political views or speech and that it will support shareholder proposals that protect religious and political diversity. Ta.
