The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is using a new ad to take aim at the “de-banking” tactic that is weaponized against conservatives and religious organizations, the Daily Caller has learned first.
The ad, first obtained by the Daily Caller, highlights the story of Steve Happ, the founder of Indigenous Advance Ministries. He was unexpectedly notified by Bank of America in 2023 that his bank accounts were being closed, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
The bank, the ad says, told Happ that all of his accounts were being closed because he was a “business type” they were choosing not to service. The FGA’s ad alleges that banks across the country are using “vague policies” to cancel the accounts of bank holders “because of the account holders’ political and religious beliefs.” (RELATED: ERIC BLEDSOE: Tennessee Taking Lead In Protecting Civil Rights And Free Enterprise—And Stopping Political Debanking)
“This coercion is a clear violation of free speech and the anonymity of donors,” the narrator in the ad says. “De-banking is a tactic of ESG, a movement to use businesses, including banks, to advance woke political agendas. Banking is essential for modern life, but thanks to ESG, banks have full license to de-bank anyone they see as a threat to the movement. This is the very definition of discrimination. And if our banks have the power to de-bank anyone they feel like over religious, ideological or political differences, then every American is vulnerable no matter what party or group they belong to.”
JPMorgan Chase previously closed the National Committee for Religious Freedom’s bank accounts abruptly and asked the organization to disclose their donor list, according to the ADF. The FGA’s ad highlights this case as well.
“Debanking is more than just losing access to financial services; it’s the erosion of economic freedom, protected speech rights, and personal identity. It’s a silent yet profound destruction of liberty that should be protected in modern America,” Eric Bledsoe, Senior Fellow for the Foundation for Government Accountability, told the Caller.
Similarly, John Eastman, once an attorney for former President Donald Trump, previously told the Daily Caller he was de-banked by Bank of America and USAA. His accounts, he told the Caller, were abruptly closed around the same time he faced substantial backlash for his work advising Trump around the time of the 2020 election.
Eastman proceeded to ask each bank why his accounts had been closed but the banks said it was their policy to not provide any more information on the matter, he told the Daily Caller.
The Foundation for Government Accountability’s ad explained that some states have started to take legislative action against de-banking but called on all 50 states to move to halt the trend.
“Many states are already pushing back against ESG and de-banking. But we need every state to join the fight to send a clear message to every bank that coercion, threats and discrimination won’t be tolerated, and to pass legislation to back up that promise,” the narrator says.
