Session's DOJ to end Obama-era 'Operation Choke Point'

[riversedge]

I just want to scream.



Justice Department to end Obama-era 'Operation Choke Point'


http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/17/trump-reverses-obama-operation-chokepoint-241767



The move hands a big victory to Republican lawmakers who charged that the initiative was hurting legitimate businesses. | AP
Justice Department to end Obama-era 'Operation Choke Point'

By VICTORIA GUIDA

08/17/2017 10:41 PM EDT

Updated 08/17/2017 10:29 PM EDT

The Justice Department has committed to ending a controversial Obama-era program that discourages banks from doing business with a range of companies, from payday lenders to gun retailers.

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In a letter to House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd referred to the program as “a misguided initiative."

“We share your view that law abiding businesses should not be targeted simply for operating in an industry that a particular administration might disfavor,” says the letter, obtained by progressive activist group Allied Progress and later provided to POLITICO by Goodlatte's office. “Enforcement decisions should always be made based on facts and the applicable law.

“We reiterate that the Department will not discourage the provision of financial services to lawful industries, including businesses engaged in short-term lending and firearms-related activities,” it adds.
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Under President Barack Obama, the department said the effort was intended to root out fraud by banks and payment processors and to cut off the banking system from wrongdoing by merchants.


Karl Frisch, executive director of Allied Progress, blasted the letter as “a massive giveaway to predatory payday lenders and other shady financial scam-artists...................

[uponit7771]

1. US Economy is going to have a correction soon, its important to blame Red Don for it and point these

... things out

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Trump voters will be greatly harmed. They will blame democrats.

America is gone.

[Lee-Lee]

3. I'm good with this

It shouldn't be the place of the government to use its power to intimidate banks from doing business with people and businesses that are law abiding and legal.

If it's allowed that an administration can use its pressure to intimidate banks from one industry or business then the next administration can do it to whomever they don't like.

It was payday lenders and gun stores under the Obama admin so most people here don't care- but it's a dangerous precedent. I would rather the program end than Sessions use the precedent to redirect that pressure to get banks to not deal with abortion providers or legal marijuana shops or agencies that help immigrants, or even undocumented immigrants. They could use the same rationale used to attack payday lenders and gun shops to put the same pressure on immigrant rights groups or places where undocumented immigrants do business.

You have to think not just about what the administration you like could do with a new power that you like but how the next administration might use it against what you believe I .