In a recent Senate hearing, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen faced tough questions from Senate Republicans regarding accusations of surveillance on Americans' transactions. The allegations suggest that banks were requested to flag purchases related to former President Donald Trump's supporters and his administration to the federal government. The Treasury Department's actions have raised concerns among Americans who fear they may be targeted based on their political affiliation, religion, or shopping habits.
During the hearing on Capitol Hill, Secretary Yellen declined to take questions directly, but she faced queries from lawmakers who expressed their constituents' worries. The Treasury Department is accused of targeting American citizens' bank transactions as part of its efforts to identify individuals involved in the events of January 6th, 2021. It had distributed recommendations to financial institutions, urging them to look for indicators that could signify potential involvement in extremist activities. These indicators included political terms like 'Trump,' 'MAGA' (Make America Great Again), 'Biden,' or 'Kamala,' as well as significant purchases from retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods, Cabela's, or Bass Pro Shop, and even purchases of religious books.
