Sen Demands To Know Who At Treasury Approved Search Of "Religious Texts" By Fin. Institutions

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.”

In a Jan. 19 letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Andrea Gacki, director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Mr. Scott said such searches “represent a flagrant violation of Americans’ privacy and the improper targeting of U.S. citizens for exercising their constitutional rights without due process.”
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 South Carolina Republican lawmaker’s demands were sparked by the House Judiciary Committee’s Jan. 17 release of documents describing a joint operation involving FinCEN, which is part of the Treasury Department, and the FBI, in which federal officials encouraged the searches, with the results to be shared with the government.
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.

“Freedom of Religion is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution,” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told The Epoch Times. “It should frighten every American that the federal government is watching people based on their purchases. This is as wrong as it gets and we will continue to expose this blatant attack on faith and civil liberties.”

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.