Republican Ohio Representative Jim Jordan has uncovered evidence suggesting that federal law enforcement instructed financial institutions to use search terms like “MAGA” and “Trump” when scrutinizing private transactions. The disclosure came in a letter written by Jordan to Noah Bishoff, former Director of the Office of Stakeholder Integration and Engagement in the Strategic Operations Division of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
According to Jordan’s letter, documents obtained by the House Judiciary Committee and Select Subcommittee on Weaponization indicate that FinCEN distributed materials to financial institutions post-January 6, 2021. These materials outlined “typologies” of persons of interest and provided suggested search terms and Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) for identifying transactions on behalf of federal law enforcement.
Jordan’s letter reveals that generic terms like “TRUMP” and “MAGA” were recommended for searching Zelle payment messages. Additionally, FinCEN’s analysis warned financial institutions of “extremism” indicators, including the purchase of books (including religious texts) and subscriptions to media containing extremist views. Surprisingly, the documents also flagged terms related to sporting goods retail chains, such as “Dick’s Sporting Goods” and “Cabela’s.”
This revelation comes on the heels of Jordan’s similar letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, addressing the FBI’s alleged communications with Bank of America regarding specific search terms related to financial transactions in the Washington, D.C., area between Jan. 5-7, 2021.
Seeking further clarity, Jordan has requested transcribed interviews with Noah Bishoff and senior FBI official Peter Sullivan, emphasizing the urgency of scheduling these interviews by Jan. 31.
The use of politically charged search terms in this manner not only raises constitutional concerns but also prompts a closer look at the potential overreach of federal agencies into the private financial transactions of American citizens.
via joemiller