Continuing his efforts to combat Operation Choke Point, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) sent a letter to the Acting Inspector General at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to delve into this unprecedented program.

This letter, signed by 35 members of Congress, requests a meeting with Acting Inspector General Fred Gibson if there is not a response by Nov. 11. As written in the letter, there is a clear connection between the FDIC and Operation Choke Point.  This summer, FDIC General Counsel Richard Osterman testified before the House Financial Services Committee and rejected the assertion the FDIC and DOJ were shutting down legitimate businesses. However, Congress received correspondence from an FDIC regional director which states the FDIC condemns relationships with specific industries.

“Through hearings on the House Financial Services Committee and research done by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, it has become clear there is a blatant misuse of power that is happening in the FDIC and the Department of Justice (DOJ), among others” Luetkemeyer said. “As a member of Congress, it is my job to conduct oversight to agencies and I have no doubt in my mind the FDIC has played a chilling role in the implementation of Operation Choke Point. This letter, signed by 35 of my colleagues, will hopefully result in a prompt response and serious consideration of our concerns.”

Operation Choke Point is an operation in which the FDIC and DOJ intimidate financial institutions from offering financial services to certain licensed, legally-operating industries the government doesn’t like in an attempt to choke off those industries from our country’s banking system. These include the non-depository lending industry, ammunition and firearms sales; fireworks sales; tobacco sales; coin dealers; debt collectors; and pharmaceutical sales.