Wells Fargo Tells Knives Dealer It Doesn’t Provide Service to Businesses That Sell Weapons Online

Image via soonerstateknives.com

 

Daily Signal

via Free Republic

A major knives manufacturer from central California says his company was denied access to an internet payment processing service because they sell weapons online, raising questions about whether an anti-fraud program called Operation Choke Point is continuing to block legal businesses in the firearms and weapons industries from accessing basic banking services.

“It was pretty simple and straightforward,” Aaron Hogue, co-owner of Hogue Inc., said of the situation he faced with Wells Fargo bank. “They called my controller, and said, ‘Sorry, but we’re not going to be able to process any credit card transactions for the sale of weapons online.’”

“And they specifically said because you guys sell knives,” he added.

Hogue Inc. is a family-run business that sells knives, tactical gear, and firearms accessories online. The company was founded in 1968 by Hogue’s father, and has since grown to 275 employees.

Wells Fargo, the bank that denied Hogue service, confirmed it doesn’t offer payment services to retailers that sell weapons online.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailysignal.com …

Operation Choke Point Has Capitalism and Bill of Rights in the Crosshairs

Independent Sentinel

Last October, thirty members of Congress sent a letter to the Department of Justice demanding an immediate investigation into the DOJ’s Operation Choke Point which is being used by the government to attack enterprises the Obama administration opposes. Gun businesses have been at the top of the list.

These businesses are vulnerable and serve as easy marks. The government has done a good job convincing people guns are responsible for crimes.

There is at least one smoking gun that possibly proves the DOJ operation is being used to destroy some businesses including gun manufacturers.

What is happening is this: Because of pressure from the DOJ, banks and payment processors are denying or terminating loans and restrict access to payment systems for law-abiding and legitimate businesses such as gun manufacturers to avoid unwarranted investigations and legal actions by the DOJ and federal financial regulators. It’s all being done under Operation Choke Point.

Doubling Down on Operation Choke Point

NoisyRoom.net

 

The sheer evil brilliance of Obama’s minions never ceases to amaze me. They are tenacious in their efforts to find ways to circumvent the Constitution and our laws – they simply never give up. There is no better example of this currently than Operation Choke Point. They were caught in 2013 targeting legal industries they did not approve of by bullying banks and other financial institutions into cutting off funds to those whose activities were not ‘acceptable.’ Specifically, the gun industry:

Last year the Department of Justice partnered with the FDIC and the Federal Trade Commission to put a whole host of industries (and their customers) on a “high-risk” list and urged banks to pay close attention to those industries as part of Operation Choke Point.

…

Storefront gun dealers, online dealers and ammunition dealers are on the “high risk” list, along with porn and other salacious products (as if they’re even comparable, the Second Amendment is constitutional right, yet it’s on the DOJ hit list). DOJ argues the program is needed to stop fraud, but that’s a lie. The program is used to target politically inconvenient industries without the permission of Congress.

And from Examiner.com:

Barack Obama, Freedom of Speech and Operation Choke Point… you’d better watch out, you might be next!

Flopping Aces

The Constitution guarantees every American the Freedom of Speech. The very first Amendment to the document says “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech…” Of course, what is speech that it needs such protection? Speech is more than just saying what’s on your mind, regardless of how profound or silly it is. Speech is communication. That’s the speech that needed protection and was incorporated into the First Amendment. It was the communication of thoughts and ideas that needed protection. Speech needed protection because of the impact it could have on others. Kings don’t like their authority questioned and a freedom of speech could potentially rile up his subjects.

It is that very reason that our Founding Fathers sought to protect speech: For the people to keep the government in check.

Obama Admin Slaps Gun Sellers With “High Risk” Label Cutting Off Their Lines of Credit, Freezing Assets…

Weasel Zippers

Their not-so-stealth way of effecting gun control.

WASHINGTON – Gun retailers say the Obama administration is trying to put them out of business with regulations and investigations that bypass Congress and choke off their lines of credit, freeze their assets and prohibit online sales.

Since 2011, regulators have increased scrutiny on banks’ customers. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in 2011 urged banks to better manage the risks of their merchant customers who employ payment processors, such as PayPal, for credit card transactions. The FDIC listed gun retailers as “high risk” along with porn stores and drug paraphernalia shops.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department has launched Operation Choke Point, a credit card fraud probe focusing on banks and payment processors. The threat of enforcement has prompted some banks to cut ties with online gun retailers, even if those companies have valid licenses and good credit histories.

Keep reading…