West Virginia Legislature Takes Step to Thwart Tracking of Gun Purchases

Amalgamated Bank’s campaign to impose new credit card code for gun purchases has ignited political firestorm Getty Images

Last week, West Virginia’s legislature passed a bill to block credit card companies using a special category for tracking gun purchases. This is the first step in what will likely become a long political battle between the left-leaning bank that initiated the initiative and Republican lawmakers across America.

The move by the West Virginia state legislature follows expressions of concern at the state and federal level over the creation – at the behest of Amalgamated bank, the Left-wing financial institution that services Democratic campaigns across the country – of a special designation, known as a merchant category code, for purchases made at gun stores.

It’s another indication that Amalgamated has dragged the credit card industry into what could be a protracted political battle: The bill’s passage follows on the heels of a letter from 24 Republican attorneys general sent a letter Credit card companies were warned in September by the FBI to not track gun sales.

Gun purchases used to be classified as sporting items, but were Amalgamated last yea A successful campaign was led by me To create the new category alongside existing goods categories like transportation and groceries.

It did this despite opposition from credit card giants Visa and American Express. They are now required by law to use the new code because merchant codes are universally applicable across all companies and around the world.

Although the new code provides credit card companies with information about how much was spent in a store, it does not give payment companies any insight into individual purchases. This limitation contradicts the claims of progressive advocates—and some conservative critics—that credit card companies now have the ability to track individual firearm purchases.

“Categorizing the constitutionally protected right to purchase firearms unfairly singles out law-abiding merchants and consumers alike,” The letter was sent by the 24 GOP attorneys general. “Social policy should be debated and determined within our political institutions. Americans are tired of seeing corporate leverage used to advance political goals that cannot muster basic democratic support.”

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