DOJ Pressured Banks to De‑Bank Businesses

A Justice Department initiative (Operation Choke Point) quietly pressured banks and payment processors to terminate relationships with lawful industries it considered 'high risk', using subpoenas under an expanded reading of Section 951 and internal memoranda to amplify reputational‑risk threats. The practice forced exits across whole lines of business (notably payday and online lending) and shifted market access without clear congressional authorization or court adjudication. — Shows how executive agencies can reshape markets and civic rights by weaponizing bank de‑risking, raising questions about due process, separation of powers, and regulatory accountability.