by By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – U.S. banks and financial institutions are cancelling bank accounts and other services of American conservative Christians due to their “religious and political views” under the policies of President Joe Biden, Worthy News learned from several sources.
The federal agency tasked with protecting the financial system from illicit endorsed a list of “hate groups” that critics say could make it a “financial crime” for conservative Christians to open bank accounts.
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) sent an email to leadership at major banks citing a report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and Global Disinformation Index titled “Bankrolling Bigotry: An Overview of the Online Funding Strategies of American Hate Groups.”
The list “draws a false equivalency between certain conservative civil society groups and the American Nazi Party and the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, suggesting FinCEN views them equally,” said the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.
The Select Subcommittee, founded by the U.S. House of Representatives last year, has investigated collusion between federal agencies and private sector entities to suppress conservative viewpoints.
They noted that the pressure on Christians increased after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by rioters claiming to be Trump supporters. Trump has condemned the violence after Biden was declared the winner in the 2020 presidential elections.
An attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), one of the world’s largest legal organizations, confirmed that banks encouraged by federal authorities have already targeted several churches and other Christian groups. Among those facing banking difficulties are mainstream conservative groups such as ADF and the Family Research Council, Worthy News established.
CANCELLING GROUPS
ADF Senior Counsel Jeremy Tedesco revealed that Bank of America also canceled the accounts of groups such as Indigenous Advance Ministries and a Memphis church, Servants of Christ.
He said Bank of America told these organizations that “upon review of your account(s), we have determined you’re operating in a business type we have chosen not to service at Bank of America.”
After ADF pressed the bank for answers, the company said Indigenous Advance Ministries “no longer aligns with the bank’s risk tolerance.”
Tedesco made the remarks in his testimony to the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.
He said some banks have worked with law enforcement to profile some Americans as potential “domestic terror threats if they buy religious texts or firearms or support Donald Trump,” who seeks reelection as U.S. president.
“Americans have good reason to fear that these essential financial services could be abruptly canceled based on the exercise of their First Amendment freedoms,” Tedesco added, referring to the U.S. Constitution.
Earlier, Sam Brownback, a former U.S. ambassador for religious freedom, said Chase Bank abruptly closed an account associated with his nonpartisan, faith-based nonprofit organization with little explanation.
ENDING RELATIONSHIP
Brownback is the chairman of The National Committee for Religious Freedom (NCRF) and said in 2022, the bank decided to “end their relationship” with the group and close the account after only three weeks.
“When our executive director called to see if this was an error, he was informed that a note in the file read that Chase employees were not permitted to provide any further clarifying information to the customer,”” he told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN).
“Why the cancellation? Why the secrecy and lack of transparency? Why was Chase hiding its reasons and intentions for closing the account of a client that seeks to serve the public good and defend religious freedom for every person in America,” Brownback wondered.
The bank reportedly stated the group had not provided the requested documentation in a 60-day timeframe, but Brownback noted that the account was only open for 20 days before it was closed.
Tedesco also said that donations given to ADF through Fidelity Charitable were either hindered or denied “unless they surrendered their anonymity.”
He urged the U.S. Congress to pass the Fair Access to Banking Act, which would place restrictions on banks, credit unions, and payment card networks that refuse to do business with specific organizations or individuals.
On the state level, the Tennessee Legislature is reportedly already considering legislation to prohibit banks and financial institutions from denying or canceling their services to a person based on political opinions, speech, or religious affiliations.
“Many conservative and religious citizens and organizations are one disgruntled activist, employee, or regulator away from losing their bank account or payment processing,” Tedesco told the subcommittee. “We cannot live in a free country if access to the marketplace depends on our political or religious views,” he said.