As we have previously noted, we expect that the second Trump Administration will be significantly more favorable to crypto than the Biden Administration, especially with the recent appointment of David Sacks as the...more
Cannabis - With the passage of legislation by the Illinois General Assembly, Illinois became the 11th state (along with the District of Columbia) to allow the recreational use of marijuana. In addition, 33 states and the...more
With the passage of legislation by the Illinois General Assembly, Illinois became the 11th state (along with the District of Columbia) to allow the recreational use of marijuana. In addition, 33 states and the District of...more
The United States continues to be plagued by mass shootings, which appear to be increasing in both frequency and lethality. Certain businesses have reacted by adjusting their business models, such as the recent decision by...more
The FDIC has announced that it has entered into a settlement of the lawsuit filed against it and the OCC in 2014 by a trade group and several payday lenders challenging “Operation Choke Point” — a federal enforcement...more
The latest nail in the coffin for Operation Choke Point was added on May 22 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) when it issued a press release announcing its resolution of a lawsuit against it by several...more
On November 15, 2018, in response to a November 7, 2018 letter from Republican Senators, FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams announced that the FDIC has engaged outside counsel to investigate the Obama-era Operation Choke Point,...more
Thirteen Republican Senators have sent a letter to FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams urging the FDIC to take action to ensure that lawful businesses are no longer at risk of adverse financial consequences as a result of...more
Among the more than 20 bills that the House Financial Services Committee was scheduled to mark up Wednesday, October 11, was a bill to provide a "Madden fix" as well as several others relevant to consumer financial services...more
This article is part of a continuing series on Operation Choke Point. The first article contains a more detailed overview of the history, origin, and evolution of Operation Choke Point and analyzes a still ongoing lawsuit...more
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has quietly ended its four-year effort to prevent banks from providing credit and other services to certain businesses that had been deemed controversial. In an Aug. 16, 2017, letter to...more
In a letter dated August 16, 2017 to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Stephen Boyd stated that “[a]ll of the [DOJ’s] bank investigations conducted as part of Operation...more
On July 5, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the District Columbia, in the lawsuit filed in 2014 challenging “Operation Choke Point” — a federal enforcement initiative involving various agencies, including the Consumer...more
On November 23, 2016, Advance America, Inc., a payday lender, and Community Financial Services Association of America, Ltd., a trade organization which represents the interests of payday lenders, (“Plaintiffs”) filed a...more
Regulatory Developments - FHA Revises Loan-Level Certification Form - On March 15, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced changes to its loan-level certification form. The changes resulted from concerns...more