Federal investigators are facing backlash after requesting banks to search through private customer transactions for keywords relating to former President Donald Trump and his campaign slogan 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA). These efforts are part of the government's ongoing investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. However, lawmakers and privacy advocates are expressing concerns over potential privacy violations and government targeting.
The House Judiciary Committee claims to have obtained documents from the Treasury Department that show federal investigators pressuring banks to monitor customer transactions. Specifically, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network recommended searching for terms such as 'extremism indicators,' Trump, MAGA, and the names of popular sporting goods retailers like Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, and Dick's Sporting Goods.
In their investigation, banks were also encouraged to search for purchases of small arms and sporting supplies at the mentioned retailers. This move prompted Chairman Jim Jordan to write a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, expressing his concerns regarding the broad characterization of political beliefs and constitutionally protected speech as potential indicators of domestic violent extremism.
Chairman Jordan likened this approach to when the FBI once categorized traditional Catholics as potential terrorists, highlighting his worry that the federal government was conducting surveillance on American citizens without proper legal processes. He emphasized the belief that this incident represents the worst form of financial surveillance and suggests collusion between big government and corporations to spy on individuals.
The House Judiciary Committee received testimony indicating that Bank of America had provided a list of individuals who made transactions in the Washington, D.C. area between January 5th and January 7th, 2021. Bank of America has defended its cooperation, stating that it followed applicable laws and acted on urgent information shared by the Trump administration's Treasury Department regarding potential criminal activities that could disrupt the presidential inauguration.
It has been reported that the federal government has used this information for investigations beyond the scope of the January 6th probe, alarming privacy advocates and congressional representatives. However, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries dismissed these claims as 'another day, same conspiracy theories' during an interview with Fox News.
In a separate matter, House Oversight Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan announced that Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, will sit for a deposition on February 28th. This development comes after Hunter Biden's months-long refusal to comply with requests for closed-door testimony. House Republicans were planning to move forward with a contempt of Congress resolution but postponed it to allow attorneys more time to reach an agreement.
Additionally, Comer and Jordan mentioned that they are still working with attorneys for James Biden, the president's brother, to schedule his appearance for a deposition. The battle between House Republicans and Hunter Biden's attorneys continues to unfold.
As concerns regarding privacy and government surveillance grow, it remains to be seen how this issue will be addressed, and if any potential violations will be thoroughly investigated.
