• Home
  • News
  • Commentary
  • 13-Minute News Hour
  • Fresh Ink
  • Cartoons
  • The Loft
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Home
  • News
  • Commentary
  • 13-Minute News Hour
  • Fresh Ink
  • Cartoons
  • The Loft
  • About Us
Home » News

Banks, corporate America threaten Second Amendment, gun industry says

GOPUSA StaffWashington Times Posted On 6:51 am June 25, 2018
20


GAINESVILLE, Ga. — With Gary Ramey’s fledgling gun-making business taking off in retail stores, he decided to start offering one of his handguns for sale on his website.

That didn’t sit well with the company he used to process payments, and they informed him they were dropping his account. Another credit card processing firm told him the same thing: They wouldn’t do business with him.

The reason? His business of making firearms violates their policies.

In the wake of high-profile mass shootings, corporate America has been taking a stand against the firearms industry amid a lack of action by lawmakers on gun control. Payment processing firms are limiting transactions, Bank of America stopped providing financing to companies that make AR-style guns, and retailers like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods imposed age restrictions on gun purchases.

The moves are lauded by gun-safety advocates but criticized by the gun industry that views them as a backhanded way of undermining the Second Amendment. Gun industry leaders see the backlash as a real threat to their industry and are coming to the conclusion that they need additional protections in Congress to prevent financial retaliation from banks.

You Might Like
Learn more about RevenueStripe...

“If a few banks say ‘No, we’re not going to give loans to gun dealers or gun manufacturers’, all of a sudden the industry is threatened and the Second Amendment doesn’t mean much if there are no guns around,” said Michael Hammond, legal counsel for Gun Owners of America. “If you can’t make guns, if you can’t sell guns, the Second Amendment doesn’t mean much.”

The issue has already gotten the attention of the Republican who is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho sent letters criticizing Bank of America and Citigroup, which decided to restrict sales of firearms by its business customers, over their new gun rules in the wake of the Florida high school shooting in February.

“We should all be concerned if banks like yours seek to replace legislators and policy makers and attempt to manage social policy by limiting access to credit,” Crapo wrote to Citigroup’s chief executive.

Honor Defense is a small operation with a handful of employees that include Ramey’s son and his wife who work out of a non-descript building in a Georgia office park north of Atlanta. In 2016, its first year, it sold 7,500 firearms. Its products – handcrafted 9mm handguns that come in a variety of colors – can now be found in more than 1,000 stores.

When Ramey noticed that neither Stripe nor Intuit would process payments through his site, he submitted a complaint with Georgia’s attorney general’s office, counting on help from a state law that prohibits discrimination by financial service firms against the gun industry. But the state rejected it, saying that credit card processing is not considered a financial service under state law.

He views the credit card issue as companies “infusing politics into business.”

“We’re just a small company trying to survive here,” Ramey said. “It’s hard enough competing with Smith & Wesson, Ruger and Sig Sauer.”

The financial industry actions came amid a broader pushback by corporate America in the aftermath of the Florida shooting. Delta and United Airlines stopped offering discounted fares to NRA members, as did the Hertz, Alamo and National rental car companies. First National Bank of Omaha, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks, decided not to renew a co-branded Visa credit card with the NRA.

Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods both decided they would no longer sell “assault weapons” or firearms to people under age 21. REI, an outdoor-gear shop that doesn’t sell firearms, joined in and decided it would stop selling such items as ski goggles, water bottles and bike helmets made by companies whose parent firm, Vista Outdoor, manufactures ammunition and AR-style long guns.

There’s been election-year response from some lawmakers, notably in Georgia where Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who is running for governor, led a move in the Legislature to kill a tax break on jet fuel to punish Atlanta-based Delta over its NRA actions. The move cost the airline an estimated $40 million.

Gun-control advocates have applauded the efforts, saying it demonstrates responsible leadership at a time of paralysis in government. Experts say it’s a sign that the business world views wading into the gun debate as not at all risky – and, in fact, potentially beneficial to their brand.

“Companies by and large avoid these issues like the plague and they only get involved – whether they’re credit card companies or airlines – when they feel like doing nothing is as bad as doing something and they feel completely stuck,” said Timothy D. Lytton, professor at Georgia State University’s College of Law and author of “Suing the Gun Industry: A Battle at the Crossroads of Gun Control and Mass Torts.”

The gun industry acknowledges that there’s nothing requiring companies from doing business with gun manufacturers or dealers. Monthly reports from the federal government show background checks to purchase a firearm are up over last year so far, so the early actions apparently have not put a dent in sales.

Still, the industry believes it needs stronger laws against financial retaliation in the future.

“We may have to seek legislation to make sure it can’t be done and that you can’t discriminate against individuals from lawful exercise of a constitutional right,” said Larry Keane, senior vice president and legal counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents gunmakers. “Imagine if banks were to say you can’t purchase books or certain books aren’t acceptable. That would be problematic and I don’t think anyone would stand for that kind of activity by the banking industry.”

© Copyright (c) 2018 News World Communications, Inc.

—-

This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.

VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
Rating: 5.0/10 (4 votes cast)
Banks, corporate America threaten Second Amendment, gun industry says, 5.0 out of 10 based on 4 ratings
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
0
Shares
  • Share On Facebook
  • Tweet It




20 Comments

pajohn
pajohn
9:58 am June 25, 2018 at 9:58 am
Log in to Reply

“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power” – Benito Mussolini

“The definition of fascism is ‘The marriage of corporation and state’ ” – Benito Mussolini

Benito Mussolini:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini

The obvious marriage of leftists in U.S. corporate media, corporate social media, and in the big banking industries, with leftists working to suppress and deny our rights throughout all levels of our formerly representative government, is quite literally, fascism. By definition.

The more you know…

VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
Rating: 4.8/5 (4 votes cast)

    ltuser
    ltuser
    3:11 pm June 25, 2018 at 3:11 pm
    Log in to Reply

    IMO if a store is sued into bankruptcy, for refusing to cater to a gay wedding, then ANY BANK THAT refuses to do business, with a gun store/maker, SHOULD EQUALLY GET SUED Into oblivion!!!!

    VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
    please wait...
    Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)
      DrGadget
      DrGadget
      7:05 pm June 25, 2018 at 7:05 pm

      The difference being that gay weddings are not protected in the Constitution, despite what the Libs say. You can choose to believe gay marriage is good or evil.

      The right to bear arms is definitely protected by the Constitution, you know the plain text part that the Libs hate, meaning all of the Constitution. The only parts they like are the imagined parts they pretend are in there, given false legitimacy by Lib SCOTUS justices.

      Try finding a credit card company that has a moral objection to abortion and refuses payment.

      Every one of these financial firms that try to shut down legit gun businesses by fiat should be themselves dismantled.

      VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
      please wait...
      Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)
      DrGadget
      DrGadget
      7:10 pm June 25, 2018 at 7:10 pm

      Also we need to start up a special independent monetary system like Bitcoin that will ensure people can buy guns and ammo. Maybe call it Bulletcoin.

      VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
      Rating: 4.0/5 (1 vote cast)
      nunvyabiz
      nunvyabiz
      10:54 pm June 25, 2018 at 10:54 pm

      There is always the cash and barter option………until they utilize the mark. That is the end game of progressives. Complete and total control. They take after their father.

      VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
      please wait...
      Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
      ltuser
      ltuser
      10:57 pm June 25, 2018 at 10:57 pm

      That is a good point Dr G. WHY IS IT we have not seen a single one, refuse to take the payments from planned parentlesshood on moral grounds?
      IMO its cause they are liberal RAN.

      VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
      Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
KAHR50
KAHR50
10:02 am June 25, 2018 at 10:02 am
Log in to Reply

What the gun supporting organizations need to do is some horizontal expansion into these services – it is obviously profitable. Start your own financial organization that offers competitive Credit Cards and processing fees so that the current politically motivated organizations become irrelevant to us.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
please wait...
Rating: 4.8/5 (4 votes cast)

    eaglecry
    eaglecry
    1:28 pm June 25, 2018 at 1:28 pm
    Log in to Reply

    The financial industry is very highly regulated…which I think was what the globalist controllers wanted. They wanted to make it extremely difficult for new money to compete with them so they could run our lives in the way they see fit. Breaking the backs of the big banks is of primary importance for Americans to receive any of their freedoms back, but is also extremely difficult.

    VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
    Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
      ltuser
      ltuser
      3:12 pm June 25, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      Then go the route the weed stores are having to.. CASH only.

      VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
      Rating: 4.0/5 (1 vote cast)
stephenjg
stephenjg
10:44 am June 25, 2018 at 10:44 am
Log in to Reply

Really? Credit card processing is not considered a financial service? Then what the hell is it?

VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

    ltuser
    ltuser
    3:14 pm June 25, 2018 at 3:14 pm
    Log in to Reply

    Then we need to start suing them, just like the LGBTQ mafia did to dozens of bakers, florists and photographers…
    SUE THEM FOR WILLFUL DISCRIMINATION.

    VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
    Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)
backpacker
backpacker
10:50 am June 25, 2018 at 10:50 am
Log in to Reply

Oh, how I love the liberals destroying our Constitution. Send the liberal trash to Cuba and North Korea!

VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
Rating: 4.5/5 (2 votes cast)

    ltuser
    ltuser
    3:15 pm June 25, 2018 at 3:15 pm
    Log in to Reply

    Preferably, from 10,000 feet in the air, without a parachute.

    VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
    Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
ttshee
ttshee
11:24 am June 25, 2018 at 11:24 am
Log in to Reply

I would like to see a comprehensive list of banks and corporations that violate my policy of doing business with only financial or other corporations that will do business with businesses involved in the production or sale of firearms. If they find this comment hard to follow, they’ll understand better when there’s a noticeable drop in their cash flow.

VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

    ltuser
    ltuser
    3:16 pm June 25, 2018 at 3:16 pm
    Log in to Reply

    So would i. That way WE would know who to cease doing business with.

    VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
    Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
Phil Petto
Phil Petto
12:46 pm June 25, 2018 at 12:46 pm
Log in to Reply

I find this very troubling because, while I support the notion that a business should not have to serve customers it does not agree with want to for whatever reason(moral, etc.), and it is the right of the people to boycott said business to protest that policy, the government should not be getting involved. But it appears that the government gets involved when it wants to (in the case of the cake decorator and the gay couple) and stays on the sidelines when it wants to (the case of credit being denied to gun purchasers); so it appears we have protected classes and unprotected classes. If you are a member of a protected class (we know who they are), then businesses MUST by law serve them, but if you are a member of the other classes (we also know who they/we are), you receive no such governmental protections. so it falls to us to protect ourselves. We need to cancel credit cards offered by banks that take part in such discriminatory practices. If enough people stop using those cards, the companies will be forced to reevaluate its policies or lose revenue. I’m sure such organizations as the NRA will be publishing a list of “gun friendly” credit providers in the not-to-distant future. In the meantime, there’s always cash.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
please wait...
Rating: 4.5/5 (2 votes cast)

    ltuser
    ltuser
    3:19 pm June 25, 2018 at 3:19 pm
    Log in to Reply

    IMO there is a BIG difference between a cake bakery, a florist etc, and a BANK.. The former two are not regulated, where as banks and credit card companies ARE.. THUS TO ME< they should not be allowed what so ever, to say "Sorry but we are refusing service based on moral grounds"..

    VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
    Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
mckbln
mckbln
4:06 pm June 25, 2018 at 4:06 pm
Log in to Reply

Pathetic. It’s sad to see Banking institutions giving in to stupidity and fascist ideas.

VN:D [1.9.6_1107]
Rating: 4.0/5 (1 vote cast)

ragweed
ragweed
4:07 pm June 25, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Log in to Reply

Perhaps all the gun manufacturers and companies that sell guns could form a collective to provide for their own financial needs. It would seem that as many as they are, they could pay dues to the collective for the collective good. With success, they could issue their own credit cards…

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
please wait...
Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

    ltuser
    ltuser
    10:58 pm June 25, 2018 at 10:58 pm
    Log in to Reply

    I’d be down with that.

    VN:F [1.9.6_1107]
    please wait...
    Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Login or Register

    • Click here to login or use the link below to register and start making comments.
    • Register
    • You can also make comments using one of your existing social media accounts.
  • Comment using:

  • Get our Newsletter!

    Sign up for our daily newsletter. It's free!
    Click here to subscribe.
  • advertisement
  • Hot Topics

    • Here's what Trump should do with the border deal Here’s what Trump should do with the border deal 74 comments
    • Pelosi warns Democrat president could declare national emergency on guns Pelosi warns Democrat president could declare national emergency on guns 46 comments
    • Open Border Advocates Use Butterflies and Birds as Excuse to Stop Border Security Open Border Advocates Use Butterflies and Birds as Excuse to Stop Border Security 46 comments
    • NYC to lose billions as Amazon pulls plug after leftwing opposition NYC to lose billions as Amazon pulls plug after leftwing opposition 45 comments
    • Democrat Cory Booker says meat-eating will destroy planet Democrat Cory Booker says meat-eating will destroy planet 43 comments
  • Recent Comments

    • "We're still waiting for justice !! Shrillary, Obama, Lynch, Commie, Holder, McCabe, Strzok, Page ..." Comment by PatriotUSA
      Posted in Andrew McCabe, 60 Minutes and an Attempted Coup
    • "The Radicals are very unoriginal and essentially just recycle their old talking points. Remember 'Bush's Brain', when Karl Rove was 'running the country' ?? As to Rush, they fear him because he tells the truth and EXPOSES them for who and what they are. LIARS." Comment by PatriotUSA
      Posted in Here’s why the networks fear Rush Limbaugh
    • "How's that Socialism YOU VOTED FOR working out for ya Nueva Jork ?? You get the government you deserve !!" Comment by PatriotUSA
      Posted in Thank a Democrat: Long Island City biz community loses big amid Amazon exit

  • Bringing the Conservative Message to America

    Get our Newsletter!

    Sign up for our daily newsletter. It’s free!
    Click here to subscribe.

  • Hot Topics

    • DACA Activist: Pledge of Allegiance 'rooted in ... white supremacy' DACA Activist: Pledge of Allegiance ‘rooted in … white supremacy’ 141 comments
    • Louis Farrakhan calls for separate state for Black Americans, says that's 'what God wants' Louis Farrakhan calls for separate state for Black Americans, says that’s ‘what God wants’ 138 comments
    • Green New Deal:  Say Goodbye to Your Farting Cows and Airplanes Green New Deal: Say Goodbye to Your Farting Cows and Airplanes 122 comments
    • Still bitter Meghan McCain slams Jared and Ivanka for coming to her father's funeral; promises never to forget Still bitter Meghan McCain slams Jared and Ivanka for coming to her father’s funeral; promises never to forget 114 comments
    • Nike responds to thousands of angry Muslims who want 'blasphemous' shoe recalled Nike responds to thousands of angry Muslims who want ‘blasphemous’ shoe recalled 105 comments
  • advertise

Press enter/return to begin your search