Over the last few years, we’ve repeatedly reported on the issue of big banks “debanking” companies in the firearms, ammunition, and related industries because those lawful businesses aren’t considered politically correct in some circles.

The travesty has led to legislation banning such procedures and even action by the Trump Administration in an attempt to end the practice. President Trump signed an executive order last August instructing regulators to examine if banks violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is conducting a probe of the allegations.

The DOJ is now asking banks to name names

Now, the U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed major banks seeking information on whether they improperly closed customer accounts for political reasons. The subpoenas have requested that banks provide lists of individuals who were allegedly “debanked,” along with details explaining why their accounts were closed, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

The debanking trend has been deadly for some small businesses in the firearms industry, even forcing many small gun shops out of business for lack of banking services. Since President Trump took office for his second term, he has focused his administration’s attention on the problem.

The OCC has been laying the groundwork for accountability

In April, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency published a Final Rule designed to put an end to “reputational risk” as an excuse for banking discrimination. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the move by the OCC is a welcome development to further implement President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14331, “Guaranteeing Fair Banking for All Americans,” and marks another needed step toward ending the practice of denying lawful businesses access to essential financial services because “woke” banks disfavor the firearms industry.

“The OCC’s new public comment guidance … gives President Trump’s executive order practical force,” the NSSF said in a news story announcing the action. “The agency says bank customers and stakeholders may share debanking experiences with the OCC and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and those complaints may be considered when the agency reviews bank licensing filings. They may also be considered during Community Reinvestment Act examinations.”

Jamie Dimon said JPMorgan doesn’t debank — NSSF says he’s lying

Last year, several big banks declared that they would stop debanking companies for political reasons, including for being in the firearms business. But apparently, some were lying about that. In December, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that his bank doesn’t “debank” or engage in political discrimination against account holders.

“People have to grow up here, OK, and stop making up things and stuff like that,” Dimon said during the program. “I can’t talk about an individual account. We do not … debank people for religious or political affiliations.”

The National Shooting Sports Foundation quickly called out that statement as an outright lie.

“That claim is simply untrue,” Lawrence G. Keane wrote in an NSSF news article. “And NSSF has the receipts.”