GOP-led states reportedly accusing JPMorgan Chase of religious bias

A coalition of Republican-led states has accused the nation's largest bank, JPMorgan Chase, of discriminating against customers due to their religious beliefs, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

In a letter obtained by the Journal addressed to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, 19 GOP state attorneys general alleged the bank "persistently discriminated against certain customers due to their religious or political affiliation." A prior letter sent this past March by 14 GOP state attorneys general accused the bank of the same thing.

The letter alleged that JPMorgan "has not extended its openness and inclusivity to everyone." The attorneys general claim that JPMorgan terminated client accounts due to their religious and political beliefs. This includes allegedly closing the account of the nonprofit National Committee for Religious Freedom (NCRF) without warning.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The letter also asked the bank to respond to a survey about conservative issues, which it claims is "designed to measure corporate respect for religious and ideological diversity." It is alleged that when previously asked to fill out this survey, the bank said it "must decline completing this survey as we do not believe the organization is appropriately aligned with [JPMorgan's] diversity initiatives and direction."

The letter argues that the bank is being discriminatory because they had previously filled out a different survey that was "pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees."

Employees at JPMorgan have also been receiving emails in the past few days outlining similar points to the letter, sources told the Journal.

JPMorgan has denied all allegations within the letter, telling the Journal in a statement they "have never and would never exit a client relationship due to their political or religious affiliation." In regards to the conservative issues survey, the bank also said their initial response was an error, and that they are "actively considering participating in the survey in its 2023 round."