The coalition is made up of 24 other states pushing back on new reporting efforts.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch has joined a 24-state coalition warning the chief executive officers of three major credit card companies that the recent introduction of a merchant category code to process firearm purchases at gun stores may violate consumer protection and antitrust laws .
In the letter to the CEOs of American Express, Mastercard and Visa, the attorneys general say that monitoring and tracing firearms purchases creates a “list of gun buyers” and creates an apparent risk that law-abiding consumer information will be misused by those targeting Americans who exercise their Second Amendment rights.
“It’s disappointing that the corporate sector is taking this approach and endangering the rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I will stand by Mississippi residents in exercising their Second Amendment rights and urge Mastercard, Visa and American Express to reconsider this action.”
The new Arms Dealing Code that the credit card companies intend to introduce is the result of transnational collusion among large corporations using their market power to make further strides toward desired social outcomes. Activists pressured the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to adopt this policy in order to bypass and undermine America’s legislative process.
“Press releases from officials make it clear that the new Commerce Code was created and passed in collaboration with various state actors, which may add the potential for civil and criminal liability for conspiracies to deprive Americans of their civil rights,” the coalition said Attorneys General wrote. “Social policy should be discussed and decided within our political institutions. Americans are tired of seeing corporations use their leverage to advance political goals that cannot find basic democratic support. The Second Amendment is a fundamental right, but also a fundamental American value. Our financial institutions should stop lending their market power to those who want to attack this value.”
In addition to Attorney General Fitch, Attorneys General of the following states also endorsed this letter: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming, West Virginia. The letter was led by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (TN) and Attorney General Austin Knudsen (MT).
