House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has accused the Biden administration of weaponizing financial institutions to conduct warrantless surveillance on Americans, according to a new report.
The report from the Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government alleges that federal agencies, including the FBI and Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), collaborated with major financial institutions to access sensitive banking data without proper legal oversight.
It claims that this data was used to profile Americans based on political and religious affiliations, flagging terms like "MAGA" and purchases such as Bibles or firearms as potential indicators of extremism.
Jordan cited Bank of America's cooperation with the FBI after January 6, 2021, as a key example, alleging that the bank provided transaction records of customers in the Washington, D.C., area without legal process. Other major banks and crowdfunding platforms are also under scrutiny for similar actions.
The 46-page report highlights millions of warrantless searches conducted through government systems in 2023, alleging that federal agencies have "conditioned financial institutions to work for them." Jordan warned that this unchecked surveillance threatens Americans' financial privacy and First Amendment rights.
"The federal government is building profiles on the American people, and the profile isn't based on criminal conduct, it's based on political beliefs," Jordan stated in March following the release of his office's previous report on financial surveillance. "And if you got the wrong political beliefs, well, you're potentially a domestic violent extremist."
The Biden administration has not commented on the claims. Meanwhile, the Republican-led panel continues its investigation into alleged government overreach.
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