Posted on 01/17/2024 9:38:08 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is requesting a transcribed interview with a former Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) official for allegedly flagging consumer transactions that had the phrases “TRUMP” or “MAGA” in them.
On behalf of the Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the weaponization of the federal government, Jordan sent a letter requesting testimony to Noah Bishoff, the former director of an office in the Strategic Operations Division of FinCEN, which is part of the Treasury Department.
Jordan said the committee had obtained documents showing that FinCEN outlined “typologies” of persons of interest in materials distributed to financial institutions. He said these materials included “suggested search terms and Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) for identifying transactions on behalf of federal law enforcement” after Jan. 6, 2021. “These materials included a document recommending the use of generic terms like ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA’ to ‘search Zelle payment messages’ as well as a ‘prior FinCEN analysis’ of ‘Lone Actor/Homegrown Violent Extremism Indicators,” the letter states.
Jordan said FinCEN warned financial institutions of “extremism indicators,” like transportation charges “for travel to areas with no apparent purchase” or “subscriptions to other media containing extremist views.”
“In other words, FinCEN urged large financial institutions to comb through the private transactions of their customers for suspicious charges on the basis of protected political and religious expression,” he said in the letter.
The Treasury Department declined to comment on the letter. FinCEN’s mission is “to safeguard the financial system from illicit use, combat money laundering and its related crimes including terrorism,” according to its website.
Jordan also said that FinCEN distributed slides that shows financial institutions how to flag customers who may be potential active shooters or terrorists based on their transactions.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
This is one of the most egregious violations of our Constitution I can ever recall The federal government is enlisting financial institutions To spy on citizens with the sole justification They are political opponents
"This would be a dangerous threat to freedom – and I will stop it from coming to America. We are also going to put in place strong protections to stop banks and regulators from trying to de-bank you for your political beliefs. That will never happen while I am your president," Trump told a crowd in Portsmouth, New Hampshire - as first reported by The National Pulse.
This 👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆 👀
January 17, 2024
Mr. Noah Bishoff
AML Officer
Plaid Inc.
1098 Harrison St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
Dear Mr. Bishoff:
The Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government are conducting oversight of federal law enforcement’s receipt of information about American citizens without legal process and its engagement with the private sector. Based upon documents obtained by the Committee and Select Subcommittee, we believe that you, as the former Director of the Office of Stakeholder Integration and Engagement in the Strategic Operations Division of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), possess information necessary for our oversight. We ask that you appear for a transcribed interview.
The Committee and Select Subcommittee have obtained documents indicating that following January 6, 2021, FinCEN distributed materials to financial institutions that, among other things, outline the “typologies” of various persons of interest and provide financial institutions with suggested search terms and Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) for identifying transactions on behalf of federal law enforcement.
1 These materials included a document recommending the use of generic terms like “TRUMP” and “MAGA” to “search Zelle payment messages” as well as a “prior FinCEN analysis” of “Lone Actor/Homegrown Violent Extremism Indicators.”
2 According to this analysis, FinCEN warned financial institutions of “extremism” indicators that include “transportation charges, such as bus tickets, rental cars, or plane tickets, for travel to areas with no apparent purpose,” or “the purchase of books (including religious texts) and subscriptions to other media containing extremist views.”
3 In other words, FinCEN urged large financial institutions to comb through the private transactions of their customers for suspicious charges on the basis of protected political and religious expression.
In addition, the Committee and Select Subcommittee have obtained documents showing that FinCEN distributed slides, prepared by a financial institution, explaining how other financial institutions can use MCC codes to detect customers whose transactions may reflect “potential active shooters, [and] who may include dangerous International Terrorists / Domestic Terrorists / Homegrown Violent Extremists (‘Lone Wolves’).”
4 For example, the slides instruct financial institutions to query for transactions using certain MCC codes such as “3484: Small Arms,” “5091: Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies,” and the keywords “Cabela’s,” and “Dick’s Sporting Goods,” among several others.
5 Despite these transactions having no apparent criminal nexus—and, in fact, relate to Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights—FinCEN seems to have adopted a characterization of these Americans as potential threat actors.
This kind of pervasive financial surveillance, carried out in coordination with and at the request of federal law enforcement, into Americans’ private transactions is alarming and raises serious doubts about FinCEN’s respect for fundamental civil liberties.
As the former Director of the Office of Stakeholder Integration and Engagement in the Strategic Operations Division, you engaged regularly with financial institutions following the events of January 6, 2021, including the distribution of material about how financial institutions could use private customer information to assist federal law enforcement. As such, your testimony will aid our oversight. In particular, your testimony will help to inform the Committee and Select Subcommittee about federal law enforcement’s mass accumulation and use of Americans’ private information without legal process; FinCEN’s protocols, if any, to safeguard Americans’ privacy and constitutional rights in the receipt and use of such information; and FinCEN’s general engagement with the private sector on law-enforcement matters.
We ask that you appear for a transcribed interview with the Committee promptly. Please contact Committee staff as soon as possible but no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2024, to schedule your transcribed interview.
The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to conduct oversight of FinCEN pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives.
6 In addition, H. Res. 12 authorized the Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government to investigate “issues related to the violation of the civil liberties of citizens of the United States.”
7 H. Res. 12 also authorized the Select Subcommittee to investigate “how executive branch agencies work with, obtain information from, and provide information to the private sector, nonprofit entities, or other government agencies to facilitate action against American citizens.”8
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Jim Jordan
Chairman
cc: The Honorable Jerrold L. Nadler, Ranking Member
So many land mines and bombs set by this evil Obama-Biden axis that one doesn’t know which one to tackle first. They planned this confusing turmoil.
Why this duo’s mayhem is tolerated by our lousy elected officials is maddening. And there’s the equally complicit and confusing courts system.
Yet another reason to use cash more.
Is Jim Jordan about to mount another investigation.
Has anything ever come from a Jim Jordan investigation?
.
Designed to Fail …
Noah Bishoff = JINO
Another in a long list of Golden Calf worshippers working for the Obama Puppet regime. They will be dealt with soon enough.
Bkmk
DEMOCRATS ARE LAWLESS BECAUSE REPUBLICANS ARE BALLLESS!
We need to stop this criminal act with our money..including Social Credit...
“and “Dick’s Sporting Goods,” among several others.”
Guess they did not get the memo that dicks is on the MAGA shiite list to be shunned for their woke refusal to sell politically incorrect rifles.
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