U.S. House Financial Services Committee Archives

Missouri Congressman wants financial companies to stop serving U.S. Capitol rioters

January 15, 2021 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver is requesting that banks and other financial services companies stop processing transactions for rioters and organizations who were part of last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol. The pro-Trump mob waged violence and destruction on January 6 that left five people dead.

In a letter to a trade group called the Electronic Transaction Association, Cleaver says several groups like the Proud Boys, Booglaoo Bois, and the last Sons of Liberty, have been identified as participating in the event. The group’s members include more than 500 companies worldwide, such as Mastercard, Visa, PayPal and American Express.

Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver

“As some mainstream financial services providers have refused to provide products and services to domestic terrorists, these extremist groups have sought out relationships with intermediary organizations with questionable terms of service. These organizations often act as go-betweens for extremist groups and financial services providers. For example, if a financial services provider refuses to process payments on the website of an extremist group, these nefarious actors have historically looked to platforms that have payment relationships with mainstream financial services providers to help process transactions for them. Crowdfunding site GiveSendGo which is currently helping Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for legal defense is but one example,” the letter says.

Cleaver, a Democrat from Kansas City, is also calling on the institutions to suspend services to anyone raising funds off the January 6 events.

He serves on the U.S. House Financial Services Committee and is chairman of its subcommittee on national security. His district includes Kansas City, Marshall and Higginsville.

Missouri congresswoman: St. Louis County has not distributed $100 million in CARES Act funding

September 13, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri congresswoman who represents St. Louis County on Capitol Hill is calling on county officials to distribute millions of dollars in CARES Act funding.

During a Thursday hearing before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, told colleagues that the CARES Act was signed into law in late March and that St. Louis County received $173 million.

U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner visits Jefferson City on February 25, 2020 (file photo from Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth)

“Four months later, there is still over $100 million unspent federal financial aid, that desperately needs to be distributed,” Wagner says.

Congresswoman Wagner says that includes $47 million for local municipalities, adding that public safety is at risk without these funds.

“Funds are needed to prevent law enforcement layoffs, pay public safety officials and help pay for medical care, housing and other essential services for American communities and families,” says Wagner.

She says she’s spoken to Democratic St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page to express her concerns, and has “had enough.” Wagner voted for the CARES Act in March, and says the dollars are critical to support health and public safety.

Missourinet reached out to County Executive Page’s office for a response and we haven’t heard back yet. However, Page’s spokesman, Doug Moore, tells the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” that an announcement will be made soon.

“We are on track to distribute funds to support our municipalities in compliance with federal regulations and based on need. We’ll be making an announcement soon. Although frustrating to many, we must follow federal guidelines for distribution of these funds. To do otherwise we risk having to return the funds,” Moore told the newspaper.

Wagner chairs the House Suburban Caucus. While the bulk of her district is in St. Louis County, the district also includes parts of St. Charles and Jefferson counties.