JPMorgan Chase reportedly expressed disapproval of Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s conservative and religious beliefs. This claim surfaced in a report on Thursday.
In an October 2022 letter reviewed by Reuters, the bank noted it had not received requested information from Brownback prior to the closure of its accounts.
Brownback, a Republican and chair of the National Religious Freedom Committee, has alleged that JPMorgan closed his account for reasons related to his religious beliefs.
He suggested that major banks nationwide have turned away business from conservatives and religious organizations.
In a previously unreported letter from JPMorgan Managing Director Larry Thode, dated October 2022, he stated, “We have not ceased client relationships based on religious or political affiliations.”
He clarified that the requests for additional information were not connected to religious identity, adding that the bank couldn’t complete the process because there was a lack of communication with Brownback’s staff.
Brownback pointed out that after the October letter, there seemed to be inconsistent justifications from Chase regarding why the accounts were closed.
A spokesperson for Brownback stated that the bank had not provided a valid explanation for the account closures, which occurred just three weeks after they were opened, and claimed he was not given 60 days to respond to bank inquiries.
Requests for comments from JPMorgan and Thode went unanswered.
On the same day, President Trump signed an executive order imposing fines and penalties on banks that discriminate against conservatives.
This measure also aims to retroactively address financial institutions that have previously closed accounts for political or religious motives.
“President Trump is addressing unfair banking practices that prevent Americans from accessing financial services based on their political affiliations or religious beliefs,” said White House spokesman Harrison Fields.
This week, Trump accused JPMorgan, Bank of America, and others of notable discrimination after they declined to take in deposits exceeding $1 billion.
For several months, the president has voiced opposition to these practices.
Earlier this year, he criticized Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.
Brownback claimed that JP Morgan abruptly closed the account related to his religious committee in 2022.
He recounted an experience when he attempted to make a donation at his local Chase branch and was informed that his account had been closed without reason.
He mentioned that, over the following year, multiple Chase employees provided conflicting explanations for why their account had been canceled.
It’s worth noting that banks are required to conduct due diligence as part of anti-money laundering programs, which include specific guidelines for charities and nonprofit groups like the National Religious Freedom Committee.
