Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) wants to know who at the Department of Treasury approved searches of Americans’ private financial accounts for transactions for “religious texts”; which books, if any, were singled out; and why such purchases were assumed to indicate that an individual was involved in “domestic violent terrorism.”
Mr. Scott, who is the ranking Republican member on the Senate Banking Committee, asked Ms. Yellen and Ms. Gacki: “Which religious texts were flagged as potentially indicative of extremism?
“On what basis did Treasury/FinCEN conclude that purchasing or possessing of religious texts may be indicative of extremism?
“Who made the decision for Treasury/FinCEN to warn financial institutions that religious texts may indicate extremism?”
Mr. Scott went on to write that “federal government efforts to target individuals and entities based on their political views is a blatant and egregious violation of our Constitution ... [and] reported actions like these disrupt confidence in federal law enforcement and raise significant questions regarding the independence of federal financial regulators.”
The “religious texts” search term was among many federal officials asked financial institutions to use following the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, a congressional source with direct knowledge confirmed to The Epoch Times on Jan. 18. Other terms that banks, credit card companies, and financial firms were asked to use in the searches included “MAGA” and “Trump,” according to the House Judiciary Committee.
Multiple religious liberty advocates also told The Epoch Times the searches represent a serious threat to constitutional liberties.
“It’s outrageous and frankly chilling that the federal government may be urging banks to monitor Americans for exercising their religious freedom by simply purchasing a Bible or other religious text,” Kelly Shackleford, president of the Plano, Texas-based First Liberty Institute, said.
“Weaponizing the federal government against religious Americans freely exercising their constitutionally protected freedom is outrageous and a danger to all our freedoms. It makes a mockery of our laws. When religious people are attacked and religious freedom is not upheld, all other civil liberties—including economic freedom—soon start crumbling.”
In addition to the specific information Mr. Scott is seeking from Treasury officials, he is also asking to see a host of documents, communications, and names, in order to construct the complete decision tree that culminated in the decision to encourage the controversial searches by the financial companies on behalf of the government.
Mr. Scott told the Treasury secretary that he wants to know the specifics of that department’s role in the searches, including “the role played in convening meetings, virtual or otherwise, the dissemination of information, and collecting post-search information from the financial institutions.”
He also seeks information on whether “anyone from another executive branch department or agency, such as the Department of Justice or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ever direct, request, engage in, or encourage Treasury/FinCEN to engage in such reported activities.”
In addition, he asked Ms. Yellen and Ms. Gacki if “an independent financial regulatory agency, such as the Federal Reserve, FDIC [Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.], or OCC [Office of the Comptroller of the Currency], ever direct, request, engage in, or encourage Treasury/FinCEN to engage in such reported activities.”
A Treasury Department spokesman couldn’t be reached for comment.
