The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has been investigating the possible role of the federal government—specifically the Department of Justice’s “Operation Choke Point”—in influencing banks in their lending and business-banking relationship decisions regarding firearms companies.
The investigation that Justice Department officials dubbed “Operation Choke Point” was first disclosed in March 2013, according to American Banker magazine.
In August 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported that “the Justice Department had begun targeting banks that service a broad range of what it considers questionable financial ventures. The government has issued subpoenas to banks and other companies that handle payments for an array of financial offerings, ramping up an investigation that has been under way for several months.” An NSSF statement said, “We have heard from several industry members that they had banking relationships terminated by their lending institutions.
“We respect the right of financial institutions to make business decisions based on objective criteria. It is unacceptable, however, to discriminate against businesses simply because they are engaged in the lawful commerce of firearms, an activity protected by the Second Amendment.” NSSF staff has met with members of the House Financial Services Committee and members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee concerning several documents that have surfaced from the FDIC labeling companies in the firearms and ammunition industry as “high risk.” Participating in DOJ’s Operation Choke Point, the FDIC has classified some industries as high risk: Cable Box De-scramblers, Credit Repair Services, Dating Services, Drug Paraphernalia, Escort Services, Ponzi Schemes, Pornography, and Racist Materials, to name a few listed here. Included in this group are “Ammunition Sales” and “Firearms Sales.” On August 22, 2013, 31 members of Congress sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg, requesting a briefing of Congressional staff members on the project.
In the letter, which was organized by Congressman Kevin Yoder (R-KS) and Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), the members of Congress wrote, it “has come to our attention that the DOJ and the FDIC are leading a joint effort that according to a DOJ official is intended to ‘change the structures within the financial system…choking [online short term lenders] off from the very air they need to survive.'” “We are especially troubled by reports that the DOJ and FDIC are intimidating some community banks and third party payment processors with threats of heightened regulatory scrutiny unless they cease doing business with online lenders,” the letter read. “As a result, many bank and payment processors are terminating relationships with many of their long-term customers who provide underserved consumers with short-term credit options,” it continued.
NSSF said, “As a result, we have worked with Rep. Luetkemeyer and expect that he will offer today an amendment to the FY15 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which would prevent federal funds from being used as part of ‘Operation Choke Point’ or in any effort targeting companies involved in the lawful commerce in firearms.” NSSF said it will continue to investigate the extent of any improper government involvement in lending practices.
Powderhorn Outfitters, who sells firearms, archery gear and fishing equipment in Hyannis, Massachusetts, posted in an online forum this week that its longtime bank—TD Bank—had suddenly dropped its account.
Other retailers affected include:
- T.R. Liberti, owner and operator of Top Gun Firearms Training & Supply in Miami
- Black Rifle Armory in Henderson, Nevada
- Gun parts maker American Spirit Arms in Scottsdale, Arizona
At KA Tactical we have just experienced Operation Chokepoints imposition via Payment Alliance International. PAI is and has been witholding all of the payments our customers have made since March 31, 2015. Seems like theft to everyone else.
It appears that the government is looking for a few bad apples in the barrel. So I will help them out. They should look closely at all politicians as a number of them are felons and performing illegal acts. Also don’t forget the lawyers, where you have a number of them breaking the law at will. So let’s get with the program and investigate the American Bar Association, which is a terrorist group waiting to happen and then all lobbying groups for politicians that fund those illegal ones out there.
Now I know it’s not all politicians and lawyers, but you have to investigate all of them and watch there movements closely to determine which are the bad ones.
GO DOJ!!!!!!!!
OCP = Obama’s Criminal Prosecution for ignoring the constitution!!!
Chuck Boggs is a federal firearms dealers in Charleston, WV whose bank, BB&T, inexplicitly cancelled his banking accounts without explanation.
It’s happening in your backyard.
Well, Ron. Get a life.
You must have a lot of time on your hands Ronald,you reply to people that aren’t talking to you and you don’t know the whole story. Well Ron,since you jumped in my business, Cheaper than dirt sent me a message that I can order from them. I thought a small business needed help.And was trying to help out.
Well, ath4554, this is an open forum concerning Operation Choke Point. I was not aware that it was your private “business”. I think your offer to help someone who was affected by Operation Choke Point is admirable. However, I was merely trying to provide input to what seemed to be some confusion on whether you were aiming your comment at a previous commentor who had been affected by OCP,who had commented previous to yours, or if you had directed it to Cheaper Than Dirt, who I have not heard was affected by OCP. Sorry if that ruffled your feathers, I was just trying to be helpful in what appeared to be a misunderstanding. Is the First Amendment still in tact? I know Obama is trying to weaken or eliminate it.
You mean to tell me that the they did that to Cheaper than dirt? I order from cheaper than dirt every month. And if that happened to you then you’ll get more orders from me,and I hope everyone else will help out also.
I suspect your earlier comment was directed at a store that left a comment saying they were affected but Cheaper than dirt thought your comment was directed to them, right? I have not read that Cheaper Than Dirt was affected by Operation Choke Point. I think they were just providing the article that you responded to.
There is a massive not so behind the scenes reorganizing of our whole economic and monetary sytems and it is causing ripples world wide, and this new wave of credit denials of service are but one example..
Sorry but the buisness examples given of needing short term loans is no longer a viable means of financing the buisness; mainly because the manufacture or service provider has far far fewer customers to pasd those loan cost upon.
At present under the US led FATCA program about 80% of Americans using overseas banks are recieving lettrrs announcing a closing of accounts or at mimimum a need to redo their accounts..
FATCA has caused the return into domestic banks while at same time returning to our IRS a few hundred millions .
Not all the tax money is from tax but claimed as violating any and all rules of money transfers dating from even before drug wars .
Under the UN weapons control plan monetary revords of gun transactions would be mandated to be reported to both US Gov and the International board..
Just in recent past we saw millions of people removing their bankong buisness into more user friendly financial systems, mainly into credit unions and small state or regional banks.
The credit card interest rates and even the chsrges of debit card transactions caught the lowest and poorest sector of americans with no choices as banks do not want them in first place.
On average there are over a dozen lisenced gun shops garage store or parts and ammo sales outlets either quitting sales or closing doors weekly.and this is costing financial institution millions.
Take a look at the money in your pocket. Ferls like cheap pot metal andasswipe paper; that is what it is becomingbaround the world and the world knows it will soon take a hell of a devaluation.
That some pee pot gun related buisnesd id going to be inconvenienced is thenleast of problemdamerican populace is facing in near futureGone grocrryy shopping or noted gasoline cost lately, well get ready to see them vlimb even more as we export food and energy even more.
Where is your store and how can I order? Will spend money to help you and your business out. And that’s what everyone needs to do. Support the ones they’re going after.
You may shop and order online through our Web site at cheaperthandirt.com, or visit our store in McKinney, Texas (2058 West University Drive, McKinney, TX 75071).
Yay to our steady steps toward tyranny which were practically started by Mr. Bush Jr. and which the current chief is doing his best to outdo. In my humble opinion, Big Pharma and the food industry pose a much higher risk because they continue to manufacture poisons which the FDA approves until a few hundreds of us have perished or developed serious illnesses before they come out and say “Remember that product we said was safe to consume? The funniest thing just happened. After our buddies in the industry made a few billion dollars selling you that thing, we found that it can actually kill you or make you very ill.” Let’s wake up (not just in forums but in real life where it matters) and make our representatives and senators know where we stand before our value drops to that of a fly in a restaurant kitchen.
Other problems, but stick to the current issue.
It has happened to us in our store. Last fall TD refused to increase to raise our line of credit to match our collateral stating that we “were not the type of industry the cared to expand in to”. All accounts were closed and they charged us $1,000 to get the collateral released. hen I have learned from my NRA endorsed credit card processor that because of regulations they are required to do more scrutiny on the credit card purchases and that would delay our getting our money another day or 2 or 3. They DOJ and FDIC are trying to squeeze us out of business.
It seems that there could be a billionaire out there that would be happy to take on the business credit needs of the merchants / suppliers and manufacturers (and maybe even the end user payment processing) so as to help eliminate the shenanigans perpetrated by our government.
That would be good, Charles, but in the meantime priorities need to be focused on stopping the illegal acts of our government. It would indeed be great if there was a pro-gun billionaire out there who could rival the Bloomberg financing of the anti-gun groups, too.
Wouldn’t that be a twist of fate. Sorry Uncle Sam you don’t qualify to buy our fine shooting products. BAsed on the stories we’ve collected you haven’t been honest with us about their intended use. We will not allow our products to be used against American Citizens just because they disagree with your Tyranny policy and we’re canceling your account. Have a nice day.
The government caused the housing crises by bullying financial institutions using its Community Reinvestment Act. I think gun and ammunition manufactures should stop selling everything to the government… maybe they will see the light!
For a direct parallel to predict what this administration will do and how it will proceed, reach way back to its first days in office when the ‘crash of the markets” was on us like the hot breath of death.
They determined that they had to bail out the auto industry. Ford passed, God Bless America. Chrysler and GM “took the money”. In exchange for which the Federal Government said they had to terminate “non-productive” dealerships.
Some insight, automobile manufacturers have tried to get rid of dealers they did not like and they often found conditions that proved these dealers to be “performing below par”, Or they manufactured conditions that put dealers out of business. Culling the herd, as it were.
That CAN be a beneficial prescription for the manufacturer and for the dealer body, if it is done with a good business model as a guide.
OK now, the way Obama did it. At least with Chrysler. He researched each dealership to find out how much money each had donated in years past, AND to which political party. Then, he cancelled the dealership agreements of the Republican donors.
What do you think he and his Progressives will do to those of us who own guns?
Let those who have ears here.
CONGRESS/ELECTORATE LIKE DEER IN OBAMA’S HEADLIGHTS!
Seems to me that the Congress and the American people are like deer in Obama’s headlights! Obama cavalierly and brazenly violates the US Constitution marginalizing our rights. Why not impeach and remove Obama and Holder? I reckon if we don’t snap out of it and act on this lawless administration, we will wake up in a police state scratching our heads.
Where have you been Billy Cus? hadn’t seen you in a coons age! You still bringing busloads of Tea party folks to rallys? You used to post on Breitbart! What a lucky surprise running into you!
Why does the FDIC feel it has to infringe on our right to bear arms by being a bully. Certainly, this exceeds their legal right as an organization to do so.
It’s yet another attack in the ongoing war against the constitution and gun owners from a criminal administration. The power elite are desperate to remove our guns and destroy the constitution in order to progress their BS new world order so they conjure up these plans that are for the most part illegal. We must for our right to remain a free republic and people.
This SOB is one SPS.
I understand your frustration. Obviously, with all the abbreviations you’re using, you don’t have sufficient vocabulary to explain your point of view. Also, I’m assuming you don’t have the facts. You don’t understand business, you don’t understand the Second Amendment, and you don’t understand what our real struggle is here. Am I right, read up, learn, and will get a lot further along on all of this.
I welcome your thoughtful comments any real dialogue on this very important issue.
To Jim Gardzi, I wonder if “Jim” with the “abbreviations”, that you commented on, is simply saying, in his humble opinion, that the Leader of this miserable administration is a “smelly piece of sugar” (SPS). Which, quite frankly, I think many would agree with him. People reading this forum, I believe, tend to be Pro-2nd Amendment, whether or not we understand their abbreviations.
What is the status and or validity of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s alleged hoarding of 5.56/223 ammunition? It seems most lintel on this was rumored or unsubstantiated. The truth would be nice.
Never heard that one, it was all 40 S&W AFAIK.
Guess we need to start buying all of that we can afford, too!
THANKS!
I voted for the white guy !!!
Very simple solution to this and even better than POS GOVT and SCUM US TREASURY who murdered so many for same form of currency GOLD on 9/11/2001 look up bi heist by FBI on 9/11 Deal in GOLD traded guns and bullets for GOLD I already do and stick it to the MOTHER FU##ers hard ,,,,,ha see they think they own the world well old saying HE who has the gold makes the rules IT:S THE GOLDEN RULE and well Pirates did it and nations did it and even the first colonists so WALLA there is your answer? OH they pass a law to ban it it FU## them thier laws are worthless and tyrannical already so MIDDLE FINGER to these NWO TYRANNTS!
I am sure that there are some firearms related companies that fall into such a category, but not because they are gun companies but because of other problems. This kind of decision rests with the individual lenders and not with the government. I would classify this as a violation of the 2nd amendment as it directly infringes upon a citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. When Mr. Obama leaves office I think that a massive class action suit should be filed against him and those who carry out the actions that violate our rights. This will send a message to DC that our rights are not subject to their whims. They are stepping well beyond the constitutional limits of their offices.
wake up, POLLYANNA!
The Big Bad Wolf is at the door!
I mean “Pauly-Anna” lol
whats the source? we allllll need to validate our sources or it is just jaw jacking, rumors!
Did you not read the article? The source is the DOJ and the dealers who have had banks drop them because they are in the gun industry.
Operation Choke Point is Anti-Second Amendment?
Not really! This program was designed to stop Payday Loan companies from making high-interest rate, short-term loans. Are you naive enough to believe that a reputable firearms retailer needs a high interest rate loan as a normal course of business?
If a well-run business needs a short-term loan, they don’t borrow from a payday lender!
Think before you jump to conclusions! If you don’t understand how businesses run, do not read articles like this that want you to believe some stupid story to make you believe our gun rights are always being attacked. Focus on the real issues.
Obviously you don’t know what is going on. Operation Choke Point was not established to put gun dealers out of busuness, but it is being used as one more way to put people in the gun industry out of business. It isn’t about gun dealers needing a loan, it is about the bank not doing any business with them and not processing their credit card sales, putting them out of business. And, if you don’t know why you should give a damn about it, you are to dense to understand it.
Are you so uninformed that you have no idea how the manufacturing sectors have to function to buy the needed materials, in a timely manner to keep the costs of the end products as low as possible?
When you are engaged in manufacturing of a product; short term credit is the life’s blood of any manufacturing enterprise. No matter the end product. Be it cupcakes, firearms, ammunition, cars, trucks, bread, or concrete.
This is an attempt at back door gun control. When the manufacturing of firearms and ammunition is the only healthy growing sector in American manufacturing.
You’re the one that needs to THINK
You’re linking stuff together that an illiterate moron would, if she could read…
Go Back to Troll School!
I was opening a business account at a local large credit union mainly because they had given me a better interest rate than my old credit union on a recent car I bought and I wanted to show appreciation. All was going well until they asked what my business was and I told them I had a school to train security guards. They asked if it involved firearms training I said yes and was advised that they did not want my business. The ironic thing of it all, the guards that are being trained are hired by them either directly or indirectly to protect their businesses an A.T.M. machines. Don’t Figure Does it ?
I am amazed at how much this administration treads on our Constitution. Never before have we had any elected official so bent on destroying our rights. Operation Chokepoint is just another hidden agenda operation aimed at disarming the American citizen. Our firearm & ammunition dealers were not a threat to this country in WWI or WWII, & they certainly are not a threat now .. except to anti-gun fanatics. The Federal government is the biggest threat to our national security with operations like Fast and Furious that arm drug cartels and criminals, as well as anti-American factions. So who is the real threat; our lawful, freedom loving firearms retailers, or our lying & clandestine government agencies and officials.
Using the media to brainwash citizens with anti- 2nd Amendment propaganda didn’t exist in the time of the nation’s Founders. The anti-gun media lobby uses their 1st Amendment rights to deny legal gun owners their 2nd Amendment rights.
Next is getting a few people to report any legal gun owner as mentally ill just because they own a gun. The media promotes the idea that gun ownership is a clear sign of mental illness. This propaganda encourages law enforcement to confiscate guns first and ask questions later to protect their liability for not taking timely action. Support the NRA and vote for politicians that say they will protect your 2nd Amendment rights.
All you commenters , read about operation choke point from another reliable source. Has nothing to do about 2nd amendment rights. It has all to do with fraud in several areas of fraudulent banking practices, such as payday lenders pawn shops.
Its’ called cover the main point seems to be firearms, etc and the others were included as cover so as too make it not seem what it really is.
If that were so why do you think the firearms businesses were included? Do you not understand that these are legal businesses run by honest law abiding citizens? Firearms were included as an underhanded way to try to force banks to not do business with anyone dealing in firearms. I hope that you are not that dense that you can’t see what is right in front of your face.
STFU “larry”
dumB@$$ who takes payment from trollls.gov
Not that surprising its no different than the NSA spying on everyone, the bad thing is that a lot of clueless people in this country think its a good thing. We send our troops to countries to fight for other peoples rights for freedom form overbearing govt’s but let ours become one.
Who would have thought 20 years ago, we would be where we’re at today. What is most troubling is the fact that most people are so “engineered” to passivity that all they (we) can do is vent and make statements of realization as if that will do something. What a mess!
THE BEST WAY TO HURT THE BANKS IS FOR ALL GUN OWNERS AND ANYONE ELSE TO WITHDRAW ALL THEIR SAVINGS AND EXPLAIN THE REASON ARE DOING IT.
Hey, everyone. Just relax. This is all legal, just not within the spirit of the law. The spirit of the law, however, means nothing to people who live to leverage the law for personal political gain. You can’t stop this, you can only try to fight them using the same legal system they’re perverting against you. If TD bank won’t do business with a gun store, another bank will. Perhaps this is where an E-currency could become a player, i.e. Bitcoin. Perhaps gun-friendly entrepreneurs can start a bank or buy a bank? The govt allowed BCCI to function for years and permitted JP Morgan to steal a billion dollars, courtesy of their buddy, Jon Corsine, and permitted AIG, Lehman, Bear Stearns, et al to destroy the economy, so I’m sure an outlaw patriot bank would still have plenty of time to thrive before they actually shut it down.
Just accept this is how the Left, and the govt in general, does business.
It will not change and you can’t stop it. If you look at the statistics, no matter what you vote, the incumbent wins 97% of the time, so don’t expect your vote to matter much. Your money speaks louder than your vote, anyway.
The sad fact is America, however you feel about her, is dying. Your rights, liberties, laws, and treasured traditions are all dying or are already dead.
It’s not a surprise, it’s not as if it just happened suddenly, and it’s all been a gradual trip to this point and, ultimately, to the end point.
All nations will, in the fullness of time, fall. Some reform and come back reinvigorated, while others end up being the tourist traps we visit today, like Italy. Britannia fell, Czarist Russia fell, the USSR fell, Imperial France fell, Rome fell; Why should we think we’re different?
The America you see today behaves more and more like a 3rd world banana republic where laws are whatever the guy in charge today says they are because America IS becoming a 3rd world banana republic. The guy in charge today changes the laws from day to day and arbitrarily breaks them with no fear of punishment.
The folks who would historically have stopped him are twiddling their thumbs, waiting for THEIR chance to do exactly the same. Expect no change, regardless of which party they represent.
I’m not saying I like it, but that’s where we are in history. It is unlikely we will break from this course. The folks in charge realize where we are in history, too. They also know your weapons are a potential threat to their power, so they’re going to find every way possible to disarm you. It’s nothing personal-they just want order with a minimum of fuss.
As things get worse, expect them to find new ways to try and disarm you. If they can’t take your guns legally now, they can still go after gun and ammo suppliers. If legal challenges stop that, expect more stringent background checks.
Expect them to attack gun shows. Expect them to institute mental health checks. Fingerprinting. ID cards. National background checks for ammo. Gun owner databases. Bans on magazines. Bans on hollow points. Special gun checkpoints at malls, shopping centers, random highway checks, etc. Special new licensing fees for dealers. Limits on purchases or sales of 1 gun a month. High taxes to pay for gun crime victims. Special insurance premiums for homeowners with guns. Special liability insurance. Homeowner insurance refusing to cover “terror weapons.” Class action lawsuits on gun makers and ammo makers and gun owners. Employers firing “gun nuts” after searching their social media sites. DNA registration of gun owners. Mandatory psychiatric reviews annually to maintain gun ownership. Bans on bulletproof vests. Bans on laser sights. Federal hazmat and OSHA restrictions on ammo storage, transport, and gun cleaning in homes with children or women or near children and women. The sky is the limit. I bet even crazier ideas are being considered somewhere in DC right now.
I’m not saying I want this, but take a step back and look at where you are in history and where your nation is going. You don’t have to agree with me, but look for yourself. The public is divided roughly 50/50 at this point on guns. While many people have them for fun or safety or hunting, many others hate, fear, and mock the other 50% (whom they diminish to a tiny extreme minority). The govt is all too happy to listen to anti-gun people, since they want to get rid of guns to ensure their own survival.
Ultimately, I suspect this is about their survival, because if the day ever comes when they run out of money, then 45-50+% of the nation on various govt handouts will suddenly have nothing in their hands, businesses will close, banks will close, transactions will behalted, the stock market will close, and millions of angry Americans will suddenly have nothing to do, nowhere to go, and a lot of anxious free time on their hands. If/when that happens, I suspect those guns will be a major factor in determining the future of the status quo.
That’s why this is happening. For the Left, guns are a barbarous relic. For the govt, guns are a clear and present threat to their dominion, therefore your personal opinion and your very clear Constitutional rights are increasingly irrelevant.
BTW-if you want an idea of where you’re going, look up Dmitri Orlov.
Have a nice day!
Control the people through their pocket books is a California tactic where the top three industries are “lying, cheating, and stealing. Don’t forget it was Ronald Reagan and GHW Bush that started the massive gun control issues back in the 80’s. They stopped conversion of semi-auto’s to full auto’s through a Class III dealer, stopped importing non-sporting purpose “assault rifles” and so on.
Oh boo hoo, gun dealers can’t get a loan. The average American citizen can’t get a loan from these tightwad banks so why should I give a damn about this. Also it makes me hate gun lobbyists more and more. Can you or I roll up to Congress and get meetings with powerful commities and demand they pass my special interests laws, hell no. Screw them.
This action by the Obama administration is one of the most outrageous unconstitutional actions yet. It is even more evidence that he is getting away with more and more unconstitutional acts and no one in Congress seems to be taking it serious enough to do something to stop it. Every one of them have taken an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution, but how many have honored that oath is questionable. I was considering getting an FFL and going into an online business selling firearms and ammunition until this came out. Now I am in a Wait and See mode.
This is currently applicative to the mid to large banks. (The majors.) I still have a -few- Investors in the short-term lending space that still Are Not afraid and respect American’s Constitutional 2nd Amendment Rights. I spoke to a nearby FFL that I did business with last year and he told me that he and his industry brethren have had their credit lines frozen and that he was aware of the shrinking ability to find alternative funding even in my space.
We’re rapidly moving toward a very dark place where The Founding Fathers wouldn’t even be able recognize what they created.
The sixth comment on page one by Byron Winchell praised his
Representative Steve Stivers, 15th District-Ohio- a member of the
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE who responded to his letter
espousing concern on May 30, 2014
-the Representative’s response is quoted below-
“….H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, includes an amendment unanimously
agreed to by the House to prevent any funds provided to the
Department of Justice to carry out any activity under Operation
Chokepoint. With my support, H.R. 4660, including the amendment,
passed the House on May 30, 2014 in a strong, bipartisan vote of
321-87. It now moves to the Senate for further consideration….”
which is all well and good in it’s narrow view concerning THAT ammendment to the H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
Many Republican representatives followed suit and voted for the H.R bill 4660 as it was presented to them WITHOUT considering some last minute additional ammendments incorporated by notorious anti-gun legislators Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY) (by the way, each of these Representatives hold an “F” rating with Gun Owners of America) “…..both of whom are disciples of anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg – staged an ambush in the House of Representatives….” inserted an ammendment at the last minute so as to avoid any scrutiny or debate as to any merit of thier addition to the bill. The no-studying of -or- no objections are allowed ammendments as have been reported by Gun Owners of America to contain: “….amendment would add an additional $19.5 million to pay states to turn in more names to the federal gun-ban (NICS) list…” Which seems great on it’s face, just what everyone on both sides of the debate have been pushing for… . UNTIL proper scrutiny is paid to this ‘no-studying of -or- no objections are allowed ammendment’ -CAUTION- If it is too good to be true, it almost always invariably is. Watch what you wish for. ect., ect. .
So, here is the problem with this back-door legislation as portrayed by the good folks at Gun Owners of America:
“….Already, more than 175,000 law-abiding veterans have lost their Second Amendment rights this way. And, in states like New York, this money will pay to strip Americans of their constitutional rights, merely because they consult a psychiatrist and are prescribed a therapeutic drug….”
Again- WARNING – If it is too good to be true, it almost always invariably is. Watch what you wish for.
I heard a rumor last week that Vance’s Outdoor in Columbus and Newark, Ohio. A large and very profitable business had trouble with a bank dropping them.
Absolutely ridiculous and reprehensible. Our system is supposed to be governed by MARKET FORCES, not the government, at least in cases where the product offered is not illegal. For the government to be able to lean on businesses or their banks in an effort to drive out of business anyone whom THEY deem “undesirable” is completely wrong and unjust. Our founding fathers would be turning in their graves! Makes me wonder though, how many other programs like this might be out there that just haven’t come to light? People really need to keep their eyes open these days. Things are changing quickly.
Operation Choke Point is 1930’s Chicago Mob Tactics. It is being applied by a Chicago Politician gone rogue. Elected as President,
Obama is now appointing himself to be our King.
Gun Manufacturers and Gun Owners need to be more involved and more vocal in defending our rights. We need to defend the manufacturer’s right to manufacture our arms. Our support allows them to manufacture the arms we desire.
Please also pay close attention to the push for Immigration Reform. The Democrats and some RINO’s are pushing for Amnesty for 11.5 million Illegal Aliens. These legislators want to give citizenship to these Illegal Aliens while taking away the rights of 85 million legal, law-abiding gun owners.
Amnesty, in any form, will lead to a significant increase in the Democratic voter base. Amnesty enhances their intended efforts to support Gun Confiscation. If possible, these legislators will amend or totally eliminate our Second Amendment.
Please write you representatives, attend their Town Halls, or visit their offices to demand they support our Second Amendment. Demand that they stop this administrations Choke Point Operation, and the attack on our Gun Manufacturing Industry.
America is not For Sale, and Freedom is not Free! The Second Amendment guarantees us a “Right to Bear Arms” It seems logical that the Second Amendment would also guarantee the “Right to Manufacture” those arm that we can bear.
Casey, I brought up the potential 11.5 million Democratic supporters to my FFL dealer a few weeks ago and he countered it with ” …..11.5 million -NEW- gun owners ….” so I guess it is all in how your willing to view things.
When the mafia did this it was called a protection racket, ok for Obama though. What happened to our constitution?
Depending on what side of the fence you’re on an argument could be made that our government has gone rogue, probably mores now than at any other time in recent history. In my mind it all boils down to socialism vs democracy, or put in simple words: freedom vs control. Control guarantees that everyone shares in the process within tightly governed standards and rules, while freedom allows for individual success through hard work, innovation and sometimes good fortune. America was built on the idea of individual freedom not the forced sharing of wealth, and certainly not on the concept of an inviolate government dictating how the masses should live and exist. Bottom line: in America the people are the government, and we the people (by virtue of open debate and elections) tell the government what it can and can’t do. Right now that American standard is trending toward being upside down.
The “Feds” are always interferring in the business of legitimate merchants and then wonder why there are no jobs or the economy is sluggish. Ronald Reagan knew best about limiting big Government in the business of the ordinary American and tried to lessen it. Ronald Reagan also knew the scariest words ever spoken were “I’m from the Government and am here to help.” The incument filling that position knows nothing about running a business or how life in the “real world” of the middle class operates. After all, he is a lawyer by trade, isn’t he?
Sounds like some kind of Social Engineering. History has shown that it did not work for the king of England when he messed with Ammo and Firearms the good people of this country are only going to take so much BS and it will hit the fan. Y’all keep your powder dry and stock up. I have a feeling we are going to need it. God Bless America
When are we going to impeach Obama, and put Holder and Hillary in Prison?
Honestly, when is enough enough????
Flush out your head gear new guy. Never happen. It’s a club. If you are in the club, you’re golden. And if not, they beat you down with the other club until you submit. It’s called COMMUNISM!
Impeach Obama??? What, you want Biden in the White House???
If one branch of our government is able to control everything without the other two, why do we keep paying them. The two branches that are not doing anything needs to wake up and get involved before it’s to late.
iN A WORD, H*LL NO!
“NSSF staff has met with members of the House Financial Services Committee and members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee concerning several documents that have surfaced from the FDIC labeling companies in the firearms and ammunition industry as “high risk.”
If the federal government can use what amounts to extortion on banks, when will they begin to follow the same ugly path re private individual law-abiding gun owners?
Thugs! Indiscriminate idiots!
This is not even reasonable within any legal realm!
This is an example of idiots in policing! Painting with a broad brush is not effective or reasonable.
And this is governmental terrorism!!!!
In the booklet:
BEYOND THE SECOND AMENDMENT: AN
INDIVIDUAL RIGHT TO ARMS VIEWED THROUGH
THE NINTH AMENDMENT
Nicholas J. Johnson[*]
argued for a fundamental natural right to keep and bear arms in the United States that both predates the U.S. Constitution and is covered by the Constitution’s Ninth Amendment; according to this viewpoint, the Second Amendment only enumerates a pre-existing right to keep and bear arms.
My contribution to this discussion is to ask, can the 9th Amendment be used to support our opposition to the governments intentional restriction of ammo availability under the 9th Amendments “Unenumerated” rights interpretation (that are legal rights inferred from other legal rights, such as the intent of the 2nd Amendment’s implied rights, natural rights, background rights, and fundamental rights); and as such would see attempts at restricting ammunition availability as an attempt to deny the rights implicit in the 2nd and 9th amendments. ?
John Takacs
Another example of an ineffective Oppressive government effort!
Seems to me that we have ineffective methods of managing illegal and truly threatening activities.
Did you know that the US Government is one of the BIGGEST arms dealers in the world!
So, do we really think that venting about Obama and the Liberals is going to change anything? Will voting them out, and (to some measure) the Conservatives in, abolish Obamacare, the flurry of executive orders he’s enacted, and the extrajudicial method of governance? The Left and the Right are little more than oars paddling the same boat, and any current “third party” possibilities are nothing more than spectators.
This is part of a suggestion I made to some in the firearms industry the last time I read about this choking.
The Second Amendment Bank. This would be an on-line only entity, at first, owned by it’s stockholders: Companies within the firearms and defense industries and maybe private citizens who support them.
The bank would have a Paypal like payment service and an EDI system that would allow the various entities within the industry to do business. To benefit the stockholder companies, the company could
be run as a non-profit. The initial IT resources could be partially donated by the IT departments of the member companies. Transaction fees would be minimal allowing more profits for the member companies. Rather than doing business with big banks that seem to raise fees whenever they can, your company’s income would go to this bank and it would become your industry’s primary banking
institution. Companies requiring additional financing would have their requests judged by people who know the industry and not by a bank employee who has never seen a firearm except on TV or in a movie. You get the idea, no Wall Street, no too big to fail and a favorable environment for your industry.
To maintain service, there would be three physical locations of the computer and network hardware.
This would supply the triple redundancy such a system requires. They would be located in states with no individual income tax and low corporate state taxes. Gainesville, Florida, Texarkana, Texas and
Reno, Nevada might serve as good locations to maintain 24/7 availability of service.
Speak to your suppliers about this idea. Make your money doing your business, without financing an industry that, in general does not support you.
If you think this could be a viable idea, please pass this idea on to anyone you feel could help implement this.
Just another way to drive legitimate businesses underground away from the light of day. Another straw on the back of the camel. Government has NO authority or business attempting to interfere with business transactions between willing and peaceful consumers.
I have yet to understand what the OBAMAUNISTS and the cabal of Constitution hating Socialists in Wash. D.C think destroying the U.S.A. is ultimately going to bring us all. It is very clear by now that Obama is no fan of “WE THE PEOPLE” and our scared document that he swore an Oath to Honor and Obey. Thus far he has does everything he can to usurp and ignore the Constitution, arrogantly and egregiously breaking the law in any he can.Then he’ll send out his trained lying dog Press Secretary to spin and deny every thing. My suspicions are, he wants to completely criminalize the whole firearms industry, along with anyone who owns one. Surly if the treading towards those goals continues, then all out gun confiscation is soon to follow. What sickens me is that most Americans under the age of 50, will just standby taking Selfies and Texting while they allow the Constitution to be destroyed.
Another proud moment in this administrations fine list of achievements infringing on our civil liberties and freedoms.
Outrageous and just another of many reasons to get rid of the socialists Democrats who are trying to demolish America.
I knew this kind of thing would be coming when Podesta came back. He is a master of working our system to hard people he doesn’t like.
Another assault on the 2nd amendment by not just Obama but all democrats vote them all out of office 2014/2016 you can’t trust a single democrat no matter how many campaign pictures they take in camo with a gun. When a financial institution drops a gun industry company the gun owners should take their money and investments and move to another bank good bye TD
Firearms and ammunition should not be on the fdic’s list. The only reason they are is mentioned in my earlier statement!
Just another example of how Obama and his staff have taken the highest position in America and turned it into a joke. It’s a sad day when the highest crime in the country comes out of the White House! We should dig up Richard Nixon and apologize. Operation Choke point is just another way for the Obama crime syndicate to push their communistic ideas on to the American public. Leave our second amendment alone Obama! Impeachment is not going to happen unless the people demand it, but at this point impeachment alone wouldn’t be justice. Prison time for all the laws he has broken , or laws not enforce is the only answer!
Whether it’s the Banks or the gun companies that are going to get hurt from this”choke point” crap ,then just let the legal gun owners know and we will help the bank or gun company with our own money. You better believeit. SO LEAVE OUR GUNS ALONE MR. PRESIPRESIDENT, YOU CAN’T HAVE THEM. AND YOU WILL NEVER TAKE THEM FROM OUR HANDS.
Here’s a link to the House Oversight Committee report on Operation Choke Point. See page 9 for one Miami-based firearms retailer whose bank cut them off.
http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Staff-Report-Operation-Choke-Point1.pdf
@ Woody. Yeah Stivers is pretty good on responding quickly. Not so Ohio’s senators Portman (R) and Brown (D), well Brown replies, but generically. You’re right, getting anything to a vote past the Troll of the Senate Reid is a remote possibility. Of course, gambling interests are on the FDIC list . . . . However, I can’t imagine that the Nevada gaming industry still any banking problems after all these years. Perhaps, as others were suggesting, the firearms industry could copy whatever it was (short of connections to the Mob) that the gaming industry did.
P.S. My dealer/FFA also noted that he doesn’t do credit cards as those companies are known to suddenly leave you in the lurch and cause a cash flow problem where they won’t refund, at least, not in a timely fashion.
Hey Byron: Thank you very much for writing your rep and providing that correspondence. Mr. Stivers should win an award for fastest Congressional response ever — and for taking the appropriate steps to curtail ‘Choke Point.’ The only worrisome part is that the Senate probably won’t take any action on it, but the House has done what it could. Best, Woody
Here’s what my Congressman replied to my complaint to him about Operation Chokepoint:
STEVE STIVERS
15th District, Ohio
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
May 30, 2014
Dear Sir:
Thank you for contacting me regarding Operation Chokepoint. I appreciate this opportunity to correspond with you.
I agree with you that the Department of Justice is unfairly targeting legitimate businesses such as federally-licensed firearms dealers through putting pressure on financial institutions. That is why I signed a letter with my House colleagues to the Attorney General and the Chairman of the FDIC, urging them to cease operations under Operation Chokepoint that target legitimate, law-abiding businesses.
Additionally, you will be happy to know that H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, includes an amendment unanimously agreed to by the House to prevent any funds provided to the Department of Justice to carry out any activity under Operation Chokepoint. With my support, H.R. 4660, including the amendment, passed the House on May 30, 2014 in a strong, bipartisan vote of 321-87. It now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
Please know that I will continue to oppose actions by the Department of Justice that target lawful businesses through pressure on financial institutions. Should further legislation dealing with this issue come to the House floor for a vote, know that I will keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I may be of assistance in the future. For additional information on where I stand on the policies and issues before Congress, please sign up for my e-newsletter at: http://www.stivers.house.gov. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Sincerely,
Steve Stivers
Member of Congress
All great comments and ideas. Banks are about making money, with, and from money. What is high risk about making money with guns and ammunition? If there is a better market in which to profit, it is prescription pain meds, and pot. Two things which aren’t protected by our Constitution. Having anything to do with our government is high risk. Does our government not have enough legitimate concerns to deal with already? How is all this wasted effort supposed to affect gun related violence and crime? Does this mean it will be safer for people to use ATMs at night, or go jogging in parks? I’m 61, have had rimfire and centerfire guns since I was 14, and have yet to be arrested. For anything! How many guys a third my age can say that, and yet still walk the streets armed, calculating their next victom? Now, there’s your high risk. And almost daily, we hear of more outsourcing of jobs, you think things are not gonna get much worse? Perhaps the manufacturing, distribution, sales and service of firearms and ammunition and related products should be dealt with on a cash/money order basis, so as not to offend our fragile, mis-guided government.
Is this bank crazy? Does TDA know what the ramifications of this action is? This bank should not have a charter. Firearms are American heritage and very lawful. I never again do business with this enity
Firearms Industry pool resources and open the First Federal Firearms Financing Firm. Gun lovers could buy shares as investments in their future and insure America’s future. Make some money and take it out in firepower. Firepower Freedom for a Free and Democratic Society.
Keep the Firearms Industry alive and strong and keep your money safe and working.
I wish to point out that without this investigative reporting, had I mentioned anywhere else about how Obama’s Justice Department and lapdog, Eric Holder, were attempting to control the firearms industry through government banking regulators, I would receive the proverbial retorts from liberals which more than likely would include the usage of the term “tinfoil hat”.
Chalk this up to yet another of the overwhelming amount of scandals and conspiracies busted under this administration and it should be no surprise why the White House Press Secretary finally buckled under the pressure and resigned today. One can only spin Obama’s crap for so long before cracking under the enormous stress.
I will never understand the naivety of the naysayers that watch all this unfold before their very eyes and yet continue to unwittingly trust and even defend the actions of their government; especially under this particular administration. Sometimes a heavy dose of blissful ignorance is the safest drug for the weak minded to cope.
FDIC listing link below:
http://www.fdic.gov/regulations/examinations/supervisory/insights/sisum11/managing.html