Obama and Holder’s “Operation Choke Point” Still Forcing Gun Retailers Out of Business

Oregon based Calico has been told that they can no longer process credit cards due to the current liberal administration saying that Calico is selling parts for guns over the internet, not the entire gun itself. From the overall views of “Operation Choke Hold”, that alone constitutes as an illegal activity, bringing the company to its knees by not allowing them to process any cards.

Critics of the program have noted that the Obama administration is using the program to crack down on businesses it doesn’t approve of, even those outside of the programs intended use. Many companies, even people have been cut off financially from the system just by the flick of a switch, so to say, by those overseeing the system.

Chris Holmgren, the company president of Calico Light Weapons Systems has said he is surely the most recent victim of the questionable operation. Holmgren said he was warned in late July that his processing account would be closed due to ‘illegal activities.’

“The [credit card] company thought that I sold firearms over the Internet, which I do not,” he said. “My company only sells parts online, like screws, washers, and other soft goods.”

After numerous phone calls to his credit card processor, Intuit Merchant Service, Holmgren was told a “policy change” related to “illegal activities” is what was forcing Intuit to close Calico’s account.

“By this point, I wondered if my company had been a target of Operation Choke Point,” he said. “I had heard of the program, but never believed that my company’s accounts could be at risk since we do nothing illegal.”

Holmgren said the credit card processing company has stated it could re-open his account at a later date, but months later it has not happened.

“I am certain that this is the work of Operation Choke Point, and that my company was targeted because it is considered a ‘high risk’ by the Department of Justice and FDIC, even though we do nothing illegal,” he said.

In the meantime, Calico is recovering from the setback by partnering with a “pro-Second Amendment” credit card servicer — McMillan Merchant Solutions, which is based in Arizona. The difference from the two companies is simple – McMillan has noted that they will not be strong-armed by the governments’ tactics to take down companies and people doing nothing wrong.

“Operation Choke Point isn’t just targeting online merchants, it’s targeting entire industries, regardless of their clean records and law-abiding practices,” Brian Wise, senior adviser for the U.S. Consumer Coalition.

“Calico Light Weapon Systems reached out to the U.S. Consumer Coalition as the first gun manufacturer who came forward as a victim of Operation Choke point,” he said. “Now it is clear that the administration is not just going after gun dealers, but manufacturers as well. This program represents the single biggest threat to gun ownership that U.S. consumers have ever seen.”

“This sounds more like strong-arming than law enforcement.”

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Operation Choke Point this past July. Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) said the program has stopped some illegal activities, along with an “unacceptable level of collateral damage.”

Numerous accounts of strong-arming specific industries and other noted ‘personal dislikes’ of individuals, companies and products are being targeted by the Obama administration, said Goodlatte has got to end.