By Larry Keane
Bank of America, it turns out, is selling out their customers who bought guns or ammunition to federal authorities as people who should be investigated for ties to the criminal acts witnessed on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.
Tucker Carlson, of Fox News, uncovered evidence that Bank of America is turning over the private transaction records of its customers to federal investigators it believes need to be probed for “extremism” or even domestic terrorism. The chilling move by the second-largest corporate bank in America with more than 60 million customers and $2.16 trillion in assets was this:
- Customers confirmed as transacting, either through bank account debit card or credit card purchases in Washington, D.C. between 1/5 and 1/6.
- Purchases made for Hotel/Airbnb RSVPs in DC, VA, and MD after 1/6.
- Any purchase of weapons or at a weapons-related merchant between 1/7 and their upcoming suspected stay in D.C. area around Inauguration Day.
- Airline related purchases since 1/6.
Did you notice No. 3? Bank of America is vocally antigun, but this is crossing into secret lists, big brother, sci-fi truth-is-stranger-than-fiction territory. The bank’s criteria included any purchase at gun store, but not just guns. If someone bought a t-shirt, baseball hat or even a trigger lock, that flagged their account for “review.”
Who Told Who?
Carlson reported that Bank of America identified 211 people and turned that information over to investigators without notifying those customers their private financial transaction data was being shared without their consent. Federal authorities interviewed at least one person, and that individual was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Bank of America dodged Carlson when confronted with the allegations it was singling out customers who made a purchase at a gun store. They said, “We don’t comment on our communications with law enforcement. All banks have responsibilities under federal law to cooperate with law enforcement inquiries in full compliance with the law.”
However, “compliance with the law” here is questionable at best. Bank of America didn’t say that the FBI subpoenaed the information. They only said they “cooperated.” Carlson pointed out that banks are allowed under 12 U.S.C. 3403 to provide information that “may be relevant to a possible violation of any statute or regulation.”
In Bank of America’s estimation, visiting a gun store and buying any product, much less a firearm which is protected by the Second Amendment, is suspicious enough to put their customers on a secret watch list without their knowledge.
SEE ALSO: Democrats Push National Safe Storage Bill in U.S. Congress
The New York Post interviewed New York City’s former top cop who blasted the decision to hand over private financial data.
“That’s just not a good reason to hand over private information. If that’s the way they do business now, then the people of this country really have something to worry about,” said Bernard Kerik, a security consultant who headed the NYPD in 2000 and 2001.
Another former law enforcement official called the move “a fishing expedition.”
In a follow-up, Fox News’ Mark Steyn interviewed former federal prosecutor Francey Hakes, who noted Bank of America’s response was peculiarly-absent of any mention of “search warrants, court orders or subpoenas…” Hakes noted that the Fourth Amendment protects against searched that aren’t “particularized” or when a judge signs off an order to search the records of a specific individual based on evidence.
“Financial information is highly private in this country and is given heightened protections,” she added.
Telegraphed Move
So far, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo haven’t responded if they’ve conducted similar internal search efforts of customer information. Yet, this follows an antigun animus by Bank of America. In 2018, Bank of America announced they would end financial relationships with manufacturers of modern sporting rifles, which they erroneously called “military-style rifle.” The move followed a similar announcement by Citigroup.
Delving into private transactions and using big banks to approve of purchases isn’t a new idea. In fact, this is the fulfillment of New York Times’ columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin’s call for such action and who proposed the notion in 2017 and 2018. It was later parroted by Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke as a potential gun control program.
It also shouldn’t be surprising that big banks with antigun agendas are emboldened to violate their customers’ privacy, turn them out and label them as “extremist” and “domestic terrorist.” The Biden administration yanked the publication of the “Fair Access” banking rule by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. That gave banks the greenlight to continue to openly discriminate against firearm business, which is just a privatization with a wink-and-nod to continue the illegal Operation Choke Point that was begun under the Obama administration.
It is no longer the Bank of America. It is a gun control cabal working to undermine American freedoms, label gun owners as criminals and use their customers’ money and information as the tools to get it done. Welcome to the Bank of Gun Control America.
Larry Keane is Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs and General Counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association.
Who knows of a good alternative credit card company that is conservative
All the more reason to not do business with B of A. I left them about 6 years ago because of their anti gun outlook.
A list of anti-2A would be a great idea. Add Levi’s. Bad news CEO.
And to think, I used to have an NRA sponsored B of A 2A credit card. How things have changed. I don’t do business with those folks anymore, and none of us should. Vote with your wallets.
I wonder if we should take a page from the left playbook and publish a list of the names of the people at these places that have decided anyone exercising their Constitutional rights is automatically a criminal and should be canceled? Maybe it is time to shine some light on these “individuals ” who are anti-American and anti Constitution. Just a thought.
That’s a good idea
I’ll second of that motion, all those in favor say aye!
Snitches get stitches!!!!
Can you say “Withdrawal Slip”?
Showed this to my son. He has been using BoA for business for years. I’ve been trying to tell him and now he is listening. He will be using another bank for his transition with business and he has others in his industry that will be doing the same. Okay so they aren’t super million dollar deals but if enough change it may or may not make much of an impact. I do know of one branch that is losing upwards of 10 million a year from a few companies. Its a start. Wife wanted to use BoA for a refinance but I thru a fit. She didn’t like it but I won’t do any business with them.
BofA and the FBI need to be investigated for violations of the 4th amendment at least. Will they. And after they spend 2 or 3 years, will someone get another $100 fine? It is just another example of 2 tiers of justice.
As Orwell said in Animal Farm, “All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others.”
B of A and the F.B.I. would have to be investigated by the D.O.J., which couldn’t even indict Ted Bundy. They are a worthless department on the scale of the entire Congress and Senate.
I would use my BOA card to make numerous well documented purchases that might be reported and then sit back and wait.
If the feds came calling about those specific purchases I would sue the bank…
Make sure the purchases are relatively benign so a jury will be sympathetic but report worthy and make sure you get the agent’s info so your lawyer can use him as a witness in the law suit.
Make em’ pay for violating your privacy rights.
Our government sucks. But people who try to overthrow it suck more. Lock em up.
What constitutes as a traitor, didn’t our forefathers take this country over from the British in a revolution
I agree, Biden and the democrats stole this election from Trump… they all belong in prison….
They didn’t steal the election from Trump they stole it from US WE VOTED FOR TRUMP AND THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC PARTY STOLE IT
Like Antifa and BLM did all summer? Over $1B inn capital property destroyed and 25 people died from ‘their’ summer of love? How many of they were actually prosecuted as opposed to being released on no cash bail then had their charges dropped by a George Soros financed DA?
PeterNavarro.com – upper right hand corner for the summary and breakdown of 2020 voter fraud by swing states – including the specifics linked to at the end of the report. If the cheating is not investigated and corrected, the same thing will happen from here on out (just like Venezuela).
If you missed the illegal ballot and election fraud evidence, there are over 1000 affidavits (sworn under penalty of perjury), CONCRETE proof of more than 2dead voters (as Ga Sec of State continues to lie about and other similar voter fraud obtained by people actually going to the voter registration addresses of empty lots, businesses, churches and other illegal addresses).
why dont people just “cash advance” their atm or credit card then go buy the gun or ammo FOR CASH!… just take be of ehh and citi group out of the equation!
Yeah, if you want to bay 28% interest on a cash advance, just DUMP that card and get rid of these socialist all together.
2nd Amendment supporters boycott BOA and watch them skid backwards faster than the roadrunner.
Everyone should apply for a card. Then go buy as much ammo & weapons approved. Then don’t pay the bill. It’s only a matter of time till they have most peoples credit screwed anyhow. And these tools may be just what you will nedd to survive. I would love to see them get sued. But we all have seen for decades which way the courts side. There is no justice all the way to the supreme court.
They have been anti gun for years They won’t do business with the gun industry Phuck them won’t ever do business with them
The big businesses are the backers of the politicians that make the laws that allow each other to make money and fleece the working people of this country.
Well read the story about Rubio’s bill, then put 2 and 2 together
Wish I could say that I’m surprised! Bastaeds at wells fartgo will be the next to do this!
I dumped BOA years ago ….. so glad I did it
I have closed my BoA Checking Account and savings account as well as any and all loans or other business we had with them.
I once had an Alaska Airlines Visa with “miles” via Bofa. I terminated that relationship when Bofa demonstrated their antigun bias and actual agenda. Forfeited the accrued miles. I used to have a Visa from Citigroup with my Costco membership. Whey their CEO began pronouncing their antigun ‘philosophy'(?), agenda and intents- I cancelled that card. Corporate bullying is exactly that- far more dangerous and cowardly these days in our ‘cashless economy’. I hope the class action suit goes well.
The trouble as I see it, is that our beloved Congress has not chosen to protect our privacy to any great degree. Money flows to them via the great god of marketing. (Term limits are unfortunately a non-starter in congress too…)
FYI for the Brandons out there. Law enforcement does not need a warrant to accept information from citizens or legal fictions like corporations. It is probably not usable in court if the information violated a law or reasonably held trust involving a privacy issue. (Unfortunately, the feds don’t appear to actually need real probable cause when applying for some politically based warrants.)
For example, those victims of malicious information provided to law enforcement in “red flag” investigations- receive small (or none, some have been killed) comfort from ‘having done nothing wrong’. Their guns, ammunition, reputation, money and/or lives are still gone. Destroyed BEFORE they were able to prove their innocence or the maliciousness.
Never banked with bag of a holes for this reason, never trusted them, and wells Fargo is just as bad! Also, if you don’t believe in the Constitution or our right to privacy, you can move your commie ass out of the U.S. any time! God and country!
It is US corporations as BoA, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Twitter, Alphabet-Google, the NFL, AT&T, Citibank, the US Chamber of Commerce, the NBA and Starbucks and that are the national socialist bigots.
My son-in-law works for BA. Otherwise, he’s a nice man.
I once met a super nice guy who used to be a senior exec at BOA. During this time, they were laying off people like crazy, part of the big bank bailouts. The guy he reported to was very casual about asking, “Hey, I need another list of names.” Meaning, to send out the pink slips. He finally decided, it’s time to leave. The next list, he made sure his own name was on it. Now admittedly, he was probably in a better position to just leave than some, but the point is, that’s how they roll. No regard for people. I avoid BOA accounts, and BOA stock and everything. We all should.
Lessons learned here, pay cash
I know many of you, believe in the United states Constitution and the intent of the brave men who fought and died to implement it. Unfortunately, as applied, the Constitution is a “Dead Document” and is a failure. Let that sink in for a minute, before you start to type a reply based on your beliefs, not the evidence in front of your eyes.
The question is, what to do about it. I know we still have choices and options, some good and some bad. The time has come to reevaluate what we believe and craft a system and a government that will protect the rights of the individuals and the rights of those in the minority. We need a system that will work in our “Post Christian” society, free of moral restraints, that the U.S. Constitution was never met to serve.
If federal law enforcement can obtain a warrant from a court without specific and enumerated cause, to obtain such blanketed data from a bank, it is fair to say that this country no longer has a constitution or bill of rights. It is effectively gone.
Hey Braindead D … You might not be a terrorist YET ! Just a few more “laws” put on the books and you very well will be a FELON, Terrorist, Insurrectionist, purveyor of “HATE SPEECH , ETC……
Don’t be a moron … At least not in public view.
B of A has been a POS Bank for many years, I used to be a customer and I also used to have to deal with them in the Insurance Claims area, they would hold back checks on peoples loans for up to a month so they could collect more interest on the loans the many other things they did to their customers was terrible. they screwed me over as well on more than one occasion. I left them back in 2001, maybe it’s time to burn them down and out of the USA
Well since my other comment is awaiting the moderator’s approval… The Bank Of America declared war on the oil industry in Alaska last year. Look it up. Anybody doing business with the BOA needs to stop now…put pressure on any business that utilizes BOA credit cards or finances…
Bank of America sucks on many levels of customer service. I did business with them years ago,one time was enough,lesson learned.
BOA last year declared they would not finance any oil companies working in/around the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Large tracts of coastal plains lands were left out of the Refuge because of these lands oil potential. The North Slope Native Americans depend on this oil revenue to survive, the Alaskan People work in the oil fields to make a living. The State Of Alaska depends on oil revenues to fund it’s schools, and other government functions. The BOA declared a financial war against Alaskan Citizens. I contacted Alaska Airlines, which uses a BOA credit card for their mileage plan. I told Alaska Airlines that I would no longer be flying on their airplanes, until they got rid of the BOA. Credit Card… You folks supporting BOA in any way, need to quit that support NOW!!!
Cash transactions only. Banks are there to make themselves money by loaning your savings out and charging you and the loan applicant fees for it. I have no faith in any bank they are all crooks. The modern banking system is just part of the big control picture. They don’t like what you are buying they can just lock your money up and report you to the feds for being a “terrorist”. Sounds like a RAT to me. Like a nosey neighbor calling the cops because they don’t like the color of your car. One person’s agendas causing trouble for everyone.
Dump them if you got them.
Who cares?? I don’t. I don’t have anything to hid. I’m a proud veteran. I’m not a terrorist and ALL of my purchases are legal so they can look all they want. Only those who have something to hid need be worried. Domestic terrorist should be worried.
BrainDead D you are missing the point of what is going on. Thank you for your service but we dont need you for anything else with that attitude.
John, I wouldn’t get too shook up about Brain Dead Brandon, I’m sure he was just a liberal janitor in the military. I’m sure he has nothing to “HID” I doubt he owns any real guns his IQ seems to be pretty low so I’m sure he safe in Mommy’s basement.
What the fuck does being a veteran have to do with anything? I’m also a vet and you are the kind of vet that annoys the rest of us. Always using the vet card as if that makes your point more valid than a non-vet. It doesn’t! If you think that you have nothing to hide is a reason to allow the government or a bank to distribute your personal information around because you bought a gun or went to DC then you completely missed the point of this article and serving your country. You need to read up on history my friend. You are so misguided and delusional.
They are legal NOW. But those in power can make you a criminal or terrorist with the stroke of a pen or a stoke of the media.
If as you say you have nothing to hide I suppose you would be ok with having law enforcement drop by your house and do a complete search anytime they feel like it. The Fourth Amendment is the basis of the law regarding search warrants, stop-and-frisk, safety inspections, wiretaps, and other forms of surveillance…… I would certainly think that searching a citizen’s banking records would be covered under “other forms of surveillance”. If they want it get a subpoena, it isn’t hard judges hand them out like candy now. Privacy is no longer available in this United States. Sad!
As someone else pointed out, all your purchases to date may be legal. HOWEVER, Biden published his agenda right on his election web page. if you own any magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, he wants you to turn them in or pay $200 per magazine to register them with the NFA. Any semi-auto rifle? $200 per weapon to register with NFA, $200 per magazine, or turn them in. Any weapon at all? licensing, registration, training, psych evaluation (all at your cost) or turn them in. Ban on any part, accessory, or ammo sold online, but I suppose you will never need to buy anything ever again. Not that buying repair or replacement parts will be a thing after Biden removes the lawful commerce in arms protection (which he pledged to do) which will inundate manufacturers with lawsuits and force bankruptcy similar to the lawsuit which killed Remington, only FAR worse since they will not be confined to arguing about marketing, they can flat out sue for obvious misuse of a weapon by a 2nd 3rd or 4th owner of a firearm. Manufacturers will be forced to leave the country, but not before Biden ban all imports.
There is a plan to decimate the industry, and it’s not a secret or hypothetical, it’s all been written and presented on the left’s web pages.
BOA will just be playing along and telling the government who has ever purchased from any gun company ever.
Look for it soon on a Friday afternoon (that’s how politicians present nasty things to prevent a week of outrage) within the next 6 week. It will start as an executive order, then a couple crazy bills in the house and Senate, then something will slip through while BOA provides “evidence” for research to pass more BS.
By the way, if you own any weapon and have any training, guess who will be designated a “terrorist” next? it won’t matter who trained you.
Bank of America has been a rotten organization for a long time. Several years ago I had a run-in with them when they failed to pay my property taxes for three years, even though it was part of my monthly mortgage payment…thus, they took the money and kept it. I was not even aware of it until the state eventually threatened to foreclose on my home. BOA eventually paid but told me it was my responsibility to insure my taxes were paid. Recall that they played a huge part in the enormous savings/loan scandal about 10 years ago. Scoundrels, and anyone doing business with them is making a mistake for many reasons, not just the gun issue addressed in this article.
I left Bank of America about 18 years ago. At that time they were giving illegal immigrants credit cards with no credit checks since illegals don’t have SSNs. If they didn’t pay the bill, there was nothing they could do to cover the losses. Those losses fell on the US citizen customers in additional fees. I realized then that BofA was no longer getting my business and I moved back to a Credit Union. These recent anti-gun moves they have been taking just reinforces my decision that they are selling out our American values.
I collapsed my account with BoA a couple years back when they proved their bent toward totalitarianism by declaring purchases made of MSRs an actionable offense.
There are plenty of other banks.
This is not BoA-specific and in fact this happens every day for any federal crimes being investigated. Any local crimes being investigated can theoretically result in the same requests.
This is law enforcement simply asking a bank to produce the records they believe are required to help them identify suspects in a crime which they’re investigating. They have a whole procedure to go through where they present to the bank why they need it and document the request, then the bank cooperates and submits to law enforcement the resulting records.
Ask any of your friends who are currently detectives in law enforcement, they’ll tell you they use bank records to Gather evidence to support their arrests which they’re pursuing, then they hand it over to prosecutors in court who look to get the convictions. This is all allowed under law via law enforcement acts and there is no requirements to notify civilians (otherwise it wouldn’t be much help to detectives would it?).
Absolutely those other banks you requested comments from are doing the same thing and again, any bank they choose to request from will comply if LE follows the document request process.
Your concern is “are they able to do this anytime big brother style?”. Unless you have something to hide, probably no cause for concern, but could there maybe be a “wrong place at the wrong time” get accidentally caught up in an investigation because of this?…I never rule anything out, but probably less than 1% chances. However if you’re full-on my data, my rights then you shouldn’t be using any electronic (cards/bitcoin/online payments) transacting in the first place. Alas, I made piece with any digital footprint I have will always have the possibility of being snooped so I just endeavor to keep the smallest digital footprint I can. I hope this helps you to see the forest through the trees.
We have rights. I don’t give a damn about what’s normal for police investigation requests.
Clearly you don’t understand that having digital anything doesn’t remove that fact. You especially don’t seem to understand Bitcoin, which is literally designed to be anonymous.
The word you wanted is “peace,” not “piece.”
I worked in local and state criminal justice agencies for 25 years and it taught me many valuable things. Here are a few fir the average citizen to think about:
#1 – The most expensive service you will ever buy is the services of an inexpensive attorney!”. Hire the best attorney you can afford – you usually will not regret it.
#2 – Never ever talk to any criminal justice agency personnel or any government official for any reason without your expert criminal attorney present.
#3 – Try and always pay cash for ammo and firearms purchases.
#4 – Always destroy mail, old documents, receipts, anything with your name and or address on it, and any other paper work you wouldn’t want appearing on the front page of your local newspaper. Shred it using a confetti-style shredder or burn it.
#5 – Don’t trust anyone. The only person I trust is my mother (and I’m nit sure about her sometimes!).
Did the FBI at least ASK for this info? The implication is that BOA did the investigation themselves and handed it over unasked. That is definitely a violation of rights! But if asked they could claim cooperation. If it were my business I’d wait for a warrant or subpoena just to CMA though.
The Biden-Harris regime is continuing where the Obama-Biden regime left off in 2016: Fundamentally Transforming America into a Marxist Socialist Police State mirroring China and the Chinese Communist party. And they know this is not possible with an Armed Populace who believe in liberty and individualism not big government statism!! The armed populace are 74 million plus MAGA supporters which the Biden Dictatorship are demeaning censoring and now labeling Domestic Terrorist in order to force them into submission using corporate facism which is taking place with BoA government law enforcement and military forces to accomplish their goal!! This is just the beginning for what is to come the next four years.
Man , they’re really gonna have a ” fit ” when that last
purchase of 50/50 amatlol goes through , huh ? 😎😆😀
I left BofA forty years ago and do not regret it for one moment. Those people could screw up a pass book in a heart beat.
I see another revolution coming, it happened when the government didn’t work for the people.sound familiar!!!
Can the BoA customers sue BoA for breach of privacy with a reasonable probability of success?
Someone needs to bring a class action lawsuit against BofA on this to get it out in the open for all their customers to see, no just the gun people.
BofA has always stood for BunchOfA-holes, for me. Maybe more will understand just how evil they are now.
Did you participate in the terrorist attack on the capitol? Do you have something to hide with your firearm purchases? Then why are you worried?
I wouldn’t want my bank telling on me if I bought an ugly gun, though. How embarrassing would it be if I had to affirm to a federal law enforcement officer that I had purchased a Hi Point or an AK-47?
I hope the “Why are you worried?” was a facetious comment. Because Orwell..whether it’s a firearm or a loaf of bread, it’s none of their business. I would only recommend if people aren’t “OK” with this they should leave BofA and or use cash.
That’s why the left wants to use pandemic fear to do away with cash. They say it spreads disease (money has bacteria like everything else you touch but there’s really no proof it is dangerous except when a bad guy wants to take it away from you).
Those young enough this will surely happen in their lifetime need to be buying off-the-record precious metals e.g. old sterling silver flatware at estate sales. “Cash” will return to being stuff with measurable intrinsic value that can be easily carried around and traded as in ancient times.
Ugly gun. Hi point may be inexpensive and maybe looks big but they run well. Sorry if your just an idiot who talks out his ass. AK ugly far from it. If your a gun person you can appreciate all guns. Because they all serve a purpose and most have a place in history.