Comer Investigates Apparent Politically Motivated Debanking of Thirty Tech Founders, First Lady Melania Trump

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating recent reports of financial institutions debanking lawful American businesses and individuals based on political affiliation or involvement in industries viewed unfavorably by the Biden Administration. On a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” renowned tech investor and entrepreneur, Marc Andreessen, revealed thirty tech founders who were debanked over the last four years — describing the debanking as pressure against “political enemies” and “disfavored tech startups.” Chairman Comer is asking Mr. Andreessen, as well as five additional tech leaders who have spoken publicly about debanking, to share their stories with the Oversight Committee and shed light on why debanking occurs and how it affects business operations.

“Several tech leaders within the cryptocurrency space have been outspoken about their experience being debanked. In 2022, Uniswap Labs Founder and CEO Hayden Adams explained that his bank ‘closed my bank accounts with no notice or explanation,’ and that ‘I know many individuals and companies who have been similarly targeted simply for working in the crypto industry.’  Coinbase Co-Founder and CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed thirty tech founders were debanked, stating then-Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler, ‘tried to unlawfully kill our entire industry[.]’  Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, Paul Grewal, said, ‘[f]inancial regulators have used multiple tools at their disposal to try to cripple the digital-asset industry,’” wrote Chairman Comer.

The Oversight Committee is also investigating whether these debanking practices originated from activists within each financial institution or from undue outside pressure. In May 2014, the Oversight Committee released a staff report exposing the Obama Administration’s efforts to politically force companies the Administration viewed as unfavorable out of the banking system. Considering the public statements of prominent tech leaders and recent evidence that Melania Trump and Barron Trump were also debanked for their political ties, the Oversight Committee is looking into how the Obama Administration’s overreach may have laid a foundation for the Biden Administration to institute similar tactics.

“These examples are startling, and the Committee is investigating whether this debanking practice originates from the financial institutions themselves or from either implicit or explicit pressure from government regulators,” continued Chairman Comer. “The Committee is interested in engaging individuals who have been debanked and, specifically, how these actions hurt innovation, entrepreneurs, and workers. Further, to better inform the Committee’s investigation, the Committee seeks to understand the financial institutions and regulators involved, the reasons tech founders were given as to why they were debanked, and how this overreach affected business operations.”

Read the letter here.

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